Josh Anderson and The Heir of Slytherin
by Doctor Auditore
Summary: Josh Anderson and His continuing adventures with the Boy who lived. This year, they meet a popmous teacher, more rule breaking, and more troubles. Bad troubles to be exact.
1. Rescuing the Boy Who Lived

Chapter 1: Rescuing The Boy Who Lived

Josh walked out of his bathroom with a towl wrapped around his waist smelling of berries and flowers, then looked over to his dresser to pull out some clothes with the use of his wand and began swing his clothes around as if he was conducting an orchestra. You see, Josh Anderson was not an ordinary person, he was a wizard, fresh out of his first year at Hogwarts. He could do a lot of magic than the average muggle boy because to them, magic was nonexsistent.

Josh threw his clothes left and right, up and down. He missed Hogwarts, he missed its secret passageways, ghosts, his classes, the amazing feasts, his dorms, Quidditch, Hagrid, and most importantly, his best friends; Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Daphne Greengrass, and Neville Longbottom.

"Joshua Malcom Anderson!" Mrs. Anderson bellowed from Josh's doorway holding a basket full of clothes. Josh froze, and his clothes and wand dropped to the ground. "I hope you are not illegally doing magic, cause if you are then that means you will get in trouble with Magical Law and not just them, but to me as well."

"But mom," Josh unfroze, sighed, and rolled his eyes. "You know they say that only to keep muggleborns from doing it and from us young ones to not do it in front of muggles. The can't get us half bloods or pure bloods with their magical parents, they wouldn't be able to tell us apart," he explained stubbornly then picked up his wand.

"Is that so?" Mrs Anderson said as she walked into Josh's room and dropped the basket on top of Josh's dresser. Josh nodded, looking ridiculous still naked with a towel around his waist. His mother walked up to Josh and then grabbed him by the ear.

"Ahh!" Josh screamed. "Mum? What are you doing?"

"I don't care if Magical Law can't detect you, they only say that to teach you a lesson," Mrs. Anderson explained sternly as Josh tried to protest. "And plus, I'm here and when i say no magic in the house, I mean no magic in the house. Understand?" Josh nodded noticing his mother was being very serious. Mrs. Anderson then let go of his ear. "Now, give me your wand." she demanded.

"But, mum!" Josh protested as she took the wand anyways. "What if i need it when i go to the Weasley's!"

"Oh i doubt Molly will let her children do magic either," Mrs. Anderson said as she pocketed Josh's wand and began to put his clothes away. "She's a very stern and responsible mother, not to mention very caring and protective of her children." Josh rolled his eyes and began to pick up his clothes so he could put them on. He undid his towel right when his mother turned to look at him.

"Mum! Turn Around!" Josh screeched.

Mrs. Anderson chuckled and turned back around. "Nothing I haven't seen before." Josh shook his head and began to dress. "So, you still haven't heard from Harry?"

Josh nodded. "No, neither has Ron, Hermione, or even Neville. It's really odd, mum." He said. "Could his family have something to do with it?"

Mrs. Anderson shook her head. "No, hopefully not, but the owl usually goes directly to the person intended to recieve the letter." Josh nodded in understanding.

"I'm kinda worried mum, i mean, you know his family wasn't that great that day at King's cross," Josh said pulling on his blue t-shirt.

"I know, son," Mrs. Anderson replied. "I'm sure you'll hear from him soon," she assured then finished with Josh's clothes. "Dinner will be ready in a few." And she left Josh to his thoughts.

Josh hopped into his bed, thinking there was someway he could get to Harry to see if things were alright. A few days later, Josh's things were packed into his trunk ready to go to the Weasley's house for the rest of the summer as it turned out that his mother had to go away for the last two weeks of the summer and wouldn't be able to take Josh shopping for his school supplies. Mrs. Weasley, however, had glady agreed to take Josh for the rest of the summer and was given money for Josh's new school supplies.

Josh exited his room fully dressed and jumped down the stairs, where his trunk and his owl, Shadow, sat. He ran into the kitchen where his mother sat reading the Daily Prophet and sipping tea. Josh glanced at her than walked toward the fridge to pull out some orange juice. He turned away from his mother, whose back was towards him, and was about to take a drink when...

"Don't you dare drink from that carton, young man," Mrs. Anderson spoke sternly. Josh rolled his eyes. "And don't roll your eyes at me." Josh turned to look at his mother to see her still reading the newspaper and wondered if mothers had another magical power he didn't know about. Josh then grabbed a glass and walked over to the table.

"Do you have eyes on the back of you head?" Josh asked as he poured him some orange juice.

"Well, when you become a parent, then you will get some as well," Mrs Anderson replied not looking at Josh and gulped down his juice and then continued to put the rest of the juice away and put his glass in the sink. Mrs. Anderson looked over at Josh who looked back at her expectantly, and then smiled. "Are you ready, then?" she asked her son. Josh nodded. Mrs. Anderson nodded back and then reached into her pocket to pull out Josh's wand. She slowly handed him his wand, but pulled it back before he could snatch. "And what are you going to do?" His mother asked sternly.

"Not do magic," Josh sighed, and then his mother gave him his wand. Josh took it and pocketed it. "Alright, let's get a move on!" Josh said as he marched towards the front door where his things sat. Mrs. Anderson walked towards Josh through the hallway, but turned into the sitting room, puzzling Josh. "Um, mum?" Josh called as he then followed her and found his mother standing by the fireplace. "What are you doing?"

"We're going to the Weasley's by Floo, they do live far away," Mrs. Anderson replied with a smile. "Plus, I don't want to have to apparate four times in a row. Now please, go grab your things." Josh nodded and grabbed his trunk and owl, and then came back later and handed his trunk to his mother. "Now, remember to speak very clearly and keep your elbows close to your body, okay?" Mrs. Anderson told her son who nodded, and grabbed some floo powder. "The Burrow!" And Mrs. Anderson disappeared through the green flames.

Josh stepped into the fireplace with his owl and grabbed some floo powder. "The Burrow!" he shouted and threw the powder down where he was then engulfed in the green flames. Josh felt like he was flyind as he was going up, and he could barely see other entrances, but not clearly as it was too fast. Seconds later, Josh flew out of a fireplace where he landed on a yelping red head.

"Are you two okay?" Mrs. Anderson asked the two children.

"Yeah." Josh nodded from the ground and helped the other person up without looking at them. "Sorry, Ron," Josh apologized, but was caught by surprise when the person he apologized to was not Ron at all, but to a girl with red hair, freckles, brown eyes, and a few inches shorter than him. "I..uh...Sorry." he told her.

"It's okay," the red headed girl said quietly with a tiny blush.

"Josh!"

Josh turned to see Ron running down the steps with a happy expression on his face. Josh looked back towards the girl only to see that she was walking away with Mrs. Anderson by her side.

"I see you met my little sister, Ginny," Ron said as he walked up to Josh who blushed. To Josh, Ron seemed to grow a few inches. Josh grew to, but Ron was taller.

"Yeah, I sorta fell on her," Josh replied with a half smile, while Ron chuckled, then grabbed Josh's trunk.

"Come on," Ron said as he began towards the stairs. "We're staying in my older brothers, Bill and Charlie's old room on the third floor." Josh nodded and followed Ron with his owl while thinking why they were'nt going to Ron's room. "We're staying in Bill's cause my room won't fit me, you, and Harry, but we could use my room as a place to just hang out. It's small, but it's at the top, and it's pretty cool."

Minutes later, the two twelve year olds entered the third floor room, They had passed Ginny's room on the first, and Percy, Fred, and George's rooms on the second floor. The room was nearly empty except for two beds, a cot, a small closet, and a small night table. It wasn't really decorated at all, probably because Bill and Charlie took their decorative items with them.

"So, you and Harry have the beds and I took the cot," Ron said to Josh as he put Josh's trunk on one of the beds. "I figured that lettin you and Harry have the beds would seem more appropriate." Josh raised an eyebrow.

"That's really nice of you, mate," Josh replied jokingly. "Speaking of Harry, have you heard of him yet?" he asked Ron as Josh placed his owl cage down and opened it. Ron then went to open the window, and Josh's owl flew out.

"No, I haven't," Ron replied as he looked at Josh's owl then turned to Josh. "At first, I thought it was our Owl, Errol. I mean, he's old and is always gone for hours and sometimes crash lands. I expected he loses the mail when he crashed. But i don't think so, i mean, you got my letters."

"Yeah i did, but Shadow is young and he doesn't crash, but he always comes back home empty taloned," Josh explains as him and Ron sat and looked out the window. "This is really weird, cause Hermione and Neville haven't heard from Harry either. And didn't he say he was going to write us?"

Ron nodded. "Yeah, he did." he agreed as the two didn't notice the Weasley twins silently walk in. "I think his muggle relatives have something to do with this. But Dad did tell me that he used magic and got a warning for doing so." Josh looked surprised.

"I bet he did it just to get back at his cousin," Josh said.

"Talkin bout Harry, are we?" George spoke up causing the two twelve year old's to jump in fright, but calmed down when they saw it was only Fred and George.

"Merlin, George," Josh said disappointed the twins.

"How'd you know it was me?" George asked. Josh smirked and shrugged.

"I just do," he replied.

"I wonder how he does it, George," Fred told his brother.

"Yeah, he wasn't even looking that time," George replied.

"Was there something you wanted?" Ron asked annoyed.

"Oh, yeah," Fred said then pointed at Josh with George. "Your mother is leaving."

"And she wants to say good bye," George added.

"And...We might have a solution to you Potter problem," Fred said.

Josh stood up. "Hold that thought!" he said the left his room, down the stairs, and into the sitting room where his mother and Mrs. Weasley were switching their goodbyes.

"Thank you, Molly. I really appreaciate it," Mrs. Anderson said.

"Oh, it's no problem," Mrs. Weasley replied with a smile. Josh walked over to the two women with his attention towards his mother.

"So, you off then?" he asked his mother as Mrs. Weasley left for the two to be alone.

"Yes, I am." Mrs. Anderson answered. "And I want you to remember a few things. No trouble, and No Magic." She said sternly to Josh who nodded annoyingly. "And please be on your best behavior. Mrs. Weasley has your school supply money, so don't worry about that." Josh nodded as his mother hugged him and he hugged him back. "I'll write you and see you on Christmas." She said then let go of her son. "I love you. Bye."

"Bye, Mom." Josh replied. "I love you too." And then his mother left. "Yes!" he said with a fist pump and air punches, and turned only to freeze when he saw Ginny staring at him curiously and trying not to laugh. "Oh, uh, hi."

"Hi," she replied.

"Uh, I gotta go," Josh said then quickly walked away and up the stairs back into the room he was staying in to find Ron coming down the stairs with Fred and George behind him. "What's going on?" Josh asked curiously.

"Come on, Fred and George said they might have a way to get Harry out of his relatives house," Ron replied. Josh nodded and followed the three Weasleys out the front door, through a small front yard, and towards a garage. Fred and George opened the Garage doors to reveal a light blue car.

"A car?" Josh said. "So we're going to drive that car and go get Harry?"

"Not exactly," Fred replied.

"Yes, this car here is a special one!" George said.

"Special?" Ron and Josh said in unison.

"Kids, you are looking at a Ford Anglia 105E Deluxe!" Fred told the young ones.

"Okay, but what's so special about this Ford Anglia?" Josh asked the twins.

"Because this Ford Anglia has been modified!" George answered. Ron and Josh shared a glance then looked at the twins questioningly.

"It has been magically modified to Fly and become Invisible!" Fred finished. Ron and Josh looked at one another before turning to look back at the twins.

"So, what's the plan?" Josh asked them.

"Well, we're going to use this car to get to Harry's house and break him out of that muggle prison of his," Fred answered.

"And then we're going to bring him back here," George added.

"All under the night."

"And All under the nose of our mother!" George finished.

"Are you sure this is safe?" Ron asked his brothers. Josh stared at the car thinking it over. It seemed like a pretty damn good idea, and if Harry was in trouble, then he needed to be rescued immediately, even if this was pretty risky.

"Yeah, It's perfectly safe," Fred answered his brother.

"Yeah, we tested and practiced it out so we know how to drive this thing," George added.

"So how bout it?" The twins asked in unison.

"Let's do it!" Josh blurted out surprising Ron.

"Are you sure?" Ron asked his friend.

"Yeah, think about it Ron," Josh said. "If Harry is in trouble, then we need to get him out of that house!" Ron thought it over then nodded.

"Okay, then, let's do it!" Ron said to his brothers. "But when do we leave?"

"Tonight!" Josh answered before the twins could answer.

"Why tonight, young little prankster?" Fred asked Josh.

"Cause, tomorrows Harry's birthday, and if we rescue him like sometime after midnight, then it would be a birthday wish that came true!" Josh explained, and the Weasleys understood the logic.

"Alright, Tonight it is!" the Twins said in unison. Josh and Ron looked at eachother and smiled.

Later that night, a quarter to midnight, Mrs. Weasley, Percy, and Ginny werwe asleep, and with Mr. Weasley at work, Ron, Josh, Fred, and George quietly snuck out of their rooms, down the squeaky stairs, out the front door, and towards the Garage where the car sat. Fred and George quietly opened the door and all four walked towards the car.

"Okay, we won't start it now, so we have to push it a ways away," Fred said then turned to Josh. "Josh, you steer, while me, George, and Ron push." Josh nodded and go into the driver's seat. The three Weasley boys then began to push, and Josh led them into the right direction. After a while, Josh heard a yell to stop, and his did so. Fred, George, and Ron got into the car. George passing Josh the rope they had brought. Fred sat in the Driver's seat, Ron in the passengers, with George and Josh in the back. Josh was looking around where he sat. It seemed a lot bigger than a regular car, like if it could fit five people.

"Prepare to have your minds blown," Fred said as he started the car that roared to life. Fred pressed on the gas pedal and the car moved forward, faster and faster. Ron and Josh watched in amazement as the car then began to lift into the air and fly higher and higher into the sky.

For the next few hours, Fred flew the car towards Little Whinging while Ron, Josh, and George watched the passing clouds. They were brought to attention when Fred had spoken up. "Welcome to Little Whinging!" he said loudly. Josh looked down at the city. It looked ordinary and boring as all the houses and streets looked the same.

"Looks like a boring neighborhood," Ron commented and the others agreed. Minutes later, Fred began to descend down on Number 4 Privet Drive.

"Here's Harry's house," Fred said, and they all stared at the ordinary house. Josh noticing that a window had bars on it.

"I bet Harry's room is the one with the bars on it!" Josh said.

"I bet so too," Ron said as Fred closed in on the barred up window.

"Ron, knock on it," Fred told his younger brother. Ron nodded, opened his window and knocked on Harry's window for a few seconds. He knocked on it again, and a few seconds later, a disheveled and tired looking Harry appeared. He caught a look of suprise on his face when he saw Josh and the Weasley brothers smiling back at him, so he smiled back.

"Ron! Josh! Fred, George!" Harry breathed out, pushing open the window so they could talk through the bars. "What are you guys doing here?" he asked then noticed that they were in a car floating in mid-air.

"Rescuing you of course!" Ron replied with a grin.

"All right there, Harry?" Josh asked his best friend.

"Better now!" Harry replied.

"What's been going on Harry?" Ron asked. "Why haven't you been answering any of our letters? I asked you to stay with us about twleve times, and then Dad comes and tells us that you've been given a warning for using magic outside of school and in front of muggles!"

"It wasn't me...and how did you know!" Harry asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"My dad works in the Ministry," Ron answered.

"Harry! You know your not suppose to use magic outside of school!" Josh told his friend.

"I know! And you guys should talk," Harry replied pointing at the floating car.

"Oh, this doesn't count," Ron said. "We're only borrowing this. It's dad, we didn't enchant it. But doing magic in front of those muggles you live with..."

"I told you, it wasn't me!" Harry said frantically. "Look, I need you to go and tell someone at Hogwarts that they locked me up and won't let me go back to school, and..."

"Stop gibbering, Harry," Josh said. "We're taking you back to the Burrow with us!"

"But you can't magic me out..."

"We don't need to," Ron replied jerking his head back. "Did you forget who I've got with me!"

"Tie that to the end of the bars!" George said, tossing the rope to Harry.

"If the Dursleys wake up, I'm dead!" Harry said nervously as he tied the rope around the bars, and Fred revved up the car.

"Don't Worry," Fred said. "You better stand back." Harry moved back into the shadows. The car revved louder and louder and suddenly, with a crunching noise, the bars were pulled clean out of the window as Fred drove straight up in the air. Harry ran back to the window to see the bars dangling a few feet above the ground. Panting, George and Josh pulling up the bars and set the bars next to them in the back seat. Fred then reversed as close as possible to Harry's window.

"Come on now, get your trunk!" Ron told Harry. Harry nodded and began to hurriedly packed all of his things. Minutes later, Harry threw his trunk, broom, and other things into the trunk, and Fred turned towards the side. Harry picked up Hedwig from across the room, just in time for her to let out one loud screech.

"THAT RUDDY OWL!" came Harry's Uncle's loud voice from somewhere else in the house. Ron and Josh shared a glance, able to hear the angry voice. Harry quickly ran over to the window and handed Hedwig over to Josh who pulling the bird in. And that's when the door busrted open. Harry turned to see his uncle standing there with an angry look on his face. "Petunia! He's Escaping!" Harry's uncle bellowed as he ran just as Harry ran towards the window. Harry jumped just as his uncle grabbed his ankle, and Harry landed in George, Ron, and Josh's arms.

"Let go!" Harry yelled.

"No," Harry's Uncle shouted. "You and your bloody bird aren't going anywhere!"

"Drive!" Ron shouted. Fred hit the pedal, and drove away from the window, dragging Harry's Uncle with them, who then let go of Harry's foot and fell to the ground. Harry was fully pulled into the car, and shut the door. He was free.

"See ya next summer!" Harry shouted from out the window, towards his uncle.

"Bye the way, Harry," Josh said to get his friends attention. "Happy Birthday!" Harry smiled in thanks.

"Happy Birthday, Harry!" The Weasley brothers sang, and then continued to sing Happy Birthday as they left Little Whinging, Surrey.


	2. Floo Travel Gone Wrong

Chapter 2: Floo Travel Gone Wrong

"Nearly there," Fred stated. It had been a couple hours since Josh and the Weasley brothers had broke Harry out of his own personal prison. They were still up in the air, maybe half an hour away from the Burrow or around that time. After they escaped, Harry had let out Hedwig to fly since she hadn't flown in ages.

"So, Harry, what's you story?" Josh asked bringing out everyone's attention. "What's been happening?"

"Well, a couple days ago, a house elf named Dobby, appeared in my bedroom," Harry started. "He warned me not to go back to Hogwarts, that a plot to something bad was going to happen. I told him that i couldn't go back cause Hogwarts was my home, but he didn't listen to me. And then he preforms magic by levitating and dropping pudding on some of the Dursley's guests, and then i got that warning from the Ministry of Magic." he explained to his friends.

"That sounds fishy," George said.

"Very dodgy," Fred agreed.

"So he wouldn't even tell you who's plotting all this bad stuff?" Josh asked.

"I don't think he could," Harry answered. "Every time he tried, he started banging his head against something hard." Josh noticed that George and Fred glanced at one another through the rear view mirror, Harry noticed it as well and spoke up. "What? Do you think that the house elf was lying to me?" he asked the twins.

"Well," Fred said. "Put it this way, House Elves have pretty powerful magic of their own, but they can't really use it without their master's permission. I reckon ole Dobby was just trying to prank you by stopping you from coming back to Hogwarts."

"Yeah, do you know anyone who would have a grudge against you?" George asked.

"Malfoy," Harry, Josh, and Ron said at the exact same time while glancing at one another. "He hates me," Harry said.

"Draco Malfoy?" George said. "Not Lucius Malfoy's son?"

"It has to be, can't be a very common name," said Harry. "Why?"

"I've heard dad talk about him," George said. "He was a big supporter of You-Know-Who."

"And when You-Know-Who disappeared," Fred said, craning around to look at Harry. "Lucius Malfoy came out saying he'd never meant any of it. Sounded like a load of dung to me. Dad reckons he was right in You-Know-Who's inner circle.

Josh had heard some of these rumors, especially from his mother's friends. He always heard his mother and her friends talking ill of the Malfoy's and other familys who supported You-Know-Who.

"But i dunno if Malfoy owns a house elf," Harry stated.

"Well, whoever owns that elf, must be a very rich and old wizarding family," Fred said. Josh nodded in agreement. His grandparents on his mother's side use to own a house elf, but they set them free after the first war.

"Amyways, I'm glad we came an got you, Harry," Ron said. "We were getting very worried that you haven't answered any of our letters. We thought it was our owls at first, turns out it was a manky little house elf."

"You're driving to far west, Fred," George said as he pointed at the compass on the dashboard.

"So, does your dad know you've got the car?" Harry asked his friends, guessing the answer.

"Er, no," Ron answered. "He had to work tonight. Hopefully we'll get it back into the garage without mum noticing we flew it."

"What does your dad do at the Ministry of Magic, anyways?" Harry asked.

"He works at the most boring department," Ron answered. "The Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office."

"Interesting," Harry said then turned to Josh. "What about your mum, Josh?"

"Oh, well she works at the The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures," Josh answered. "Spirit Division." George and Ron looked back at Josh who noticed. "What?"

"You're mum works with ghosts?" Ron asked.

"Yeah, She's actually on assignment in France right now," Josh answered. "Why?"

"Nothing, that's just pretty awesome!" Ron exclaimed.

"I have a question about the Misuse of Muggle things," Harry said gaining his red headed friend's attention. "What is it exactly?"

"It'll do with muggle things that have been bewitched and put back into muggle hands or shops," George answered. "It's sort of not that legal to bewitch muggle items."

"But, your dad, this car," Harry said.

"Yeah, dad's crazy about everything that has to do with muggles," Ron said. "He loves them. He has a shed full of muggle items where he takes them apart, bewitches them, and then puts them back together. If he raided our house, then he'd have to arrest himself."

"Yeah, but no worries," George said. "Dad's bewitching is always harmless. But it still drives mum mad."

"That's the main road," Ron said peering through the windshield. "We'll be there in ten minutes, and just as the light is coming up." He replied looking ahead where the sun was beginning to rise. Fred began to bring the car lower and lower where Harry, Josh, George, and Ron noticed dark patchworks of fields and clumps of trees.

"We're a little outside the village," George said. "Ottery St. Catchpole." Lower and lower the car flew down. The edge of a brilliant red sun was now gleaming through the trees.

"He shoots!" George started.

"He scores!" Fred finished.

"Touchdown!" The Twins said in unison. And the car landed on the ground with a little bump. They had landed right next to Mr. Weasleys garage, and then continued to park inside. "We're here," Fred said, and the Gryffindors continued to exit the car. Fred opened the trunk as Josh and the Weasley brothers helped Harry with his things. Fred led the group towards the house as Harry looked around with interest. Minutes later, the Gryffindors, quietly as they could, entered the house.

"It's not much," Ron said as Harry looked around with more interest. "But it's home."

"I think it's brilliant," Harry replied with a smile. Ron and his brothers smiled. Josh thought this place was brilliant too. It had a very Weasley touch to it, and it felt very comforting and like a home away from home. Fred quietly led the group into the kitchen where him, George, and Ron grabbed a biscuit thinking their mum wouldn't mind, and into the sitting room.

Fred turned towards the group. "Okay, we'll go upstairs really quiet," he said with his mouth full of biscuit. "Wait for mum to call us down for breakfast, Ron, you'll come down bellowing 'Mum, look who turned up in the night.' She'll be so pleased to see Harry, that no one will know we ever flew the car." Everyone nodded.

"Right," Ron said as he walked up front to lead Harry leaving Josh to stand behind the twins. "Come on, Harry, we're staying on the third floor." Harry nodded when they hall heard hurried footsteps, and out of no where, Mrs. Weasley appeared, with an angry expression on her face. The Weasley brothers quickly hiding the biscuits they took, from her view.

"Where have you been!" She bellowed towards the children, hands on her hips, staring into from one guilty face to the other, except for Josh who cowered behind the twins. She wore a flowered apron with her wand sticking out of the front pocket. She smiled at Harry. "Oh Harry, it's good to see you," then turned back to her children with a stern expression. "Beds Empty! No note! Car gone! You could've crashed, you could've died! You could've been seen! Of course, I don't blame you, Harry," she told him then looked around for Josh. "Where's Joshua?" she asked then rubbed her forehead. "Oh my god, you forgot him didn't you? He's probably stranded somewhere lost..."

"No ma'am," Josh spoke up as he walked out from behind the twins sheepishly.

"Dear merlin, you're alright," Mrs. weasley told him. "And of course i don't blame you either," she said surprising Josh and everyone else. "I'm sure my sons can be very persuasive."

"But..."

"I don't care," Mrs. Weasley interruppted Ron from telling him that it was just as his idea as Josh's.

"But, they were starving him mum," Ron said getting the word out. "There were bars on his window." Everyone serioulsy nodding in agreement.

"You'd best hope I don't put bars on your window, Ronald Weasley," Mrs. Weasley replied, scaring Ron and his brothers. Josh had to look away to keep from laughing out loud. "Come now Harry, Josh, time for a spot of breakfast."

Minutes later, Ron, Harry, Josh, the twins, and Percy were all sitting down with a plate of breakfast in front of them. "Tuck in," Mrs Weasley said, and they did. Seconds later, footsteps were heard coming from the stairs which turned out to be Ginny.

"Mother, have you seen my jumper?" she asked.

"Yes, dear. It was on the cat," Mrs. Weasley answered, but Ginny didn't pay attention as she froze when she saw Harry. Josh and Ron looked in between Harry and Ginny.

"Hello," Harry greeted nicely. Ginny stood, mouth motion open and close, but no sound coming out. She then blushed and quickly ran away, leaving a puzzled Harry, and laughing twins. "What did I do?" he asked Ron.

"Ginny," Ron simply replied in an undertone towards Harry. "My sister. She's been talking bout you all summer. A bit annoying, really."

Half an hour later, and six clean plates later, Fred stretched and yawned. "Blimey, I'm tired," he spoke. "I think ima go to bed and..."

"You will not!" snapped Mrs. Weasley. "It's your own fault you've been up all night. You're going to de-gnome the garden for me; they're getting completely out of hand-"

"Oh mum-"

"And you too!" she said, glaring at Fred and Ron. "Josh, you and Harry can go up to bed," she added to Josh and Harry. "They didn't make you fly that car."

"I'll help," Harry replied quickly. "I've never heard or seen it done."

"Yeah, me too," Josh added. "I've heard of it, but i've never had a chance to actually do it."

"That's very sweet of you boys, but it's very dull work," Mrs Weasley told them.

"It's okay, Mrs. Weasley," Josh said next to a nodding Harry. "It'll give us something to do."

Yawning and grumbling, the Weasley brothers slouched outside with Harry and Josh behind them. The garden was pretty large, and through Josh's eyes, it was what a garden should look like. His house didn't have a garden, nor a back yard or front yard. Just some steps and then the sidewalk or the alley filled with trashcans.

"Muggles have garden gnomes, too, you know," Harry said to Ron and Josh as they walked through the lawn.

"Yeah, i've seen them," Ron replied as he bent over and through a bush. "Looking like little santa clauses with fishing rods...but this..." he said as there was a violent scuffling noise and shuddering of the bushes. Ron straightened up and was holding a tiny gnome. "This is a gnome." he said.

"Gerroff me! Gerroff me!" It squealed. Josh looked at the gnome. It looked nothing like santa clause. It was small and leathery looking, with a large, knobby, bald headexactly like a potato. Ron held it at arm's length as it kicked out at him with it's horny little feet. He grasped it around the ankles and turned it upside down.

"This is what you have to do," Ron told his friends. He raised the gnome above his head and started to swing it in a great circle like a lasso. Seeing the shocked look on Harry and Josh's faces, Ron added, "It doesn't hurt them, you've just got to make them really dizzy so they can't find their way back to their gnomeholes." Ron let go of the gnome's ankles where it flew twenty feet into the air and landed with a thud in the field over the hedge.

"Pitiful," Fred said. "I bet i can get a gnome beyond that stump."

Harry and Josh shared a looked, shrugged, and then went hunting for a gnome. Josh learned quickly not to feel sorry for the gnomes, because Harry thought he'd be nice and just drop the gnome he had over the edge, but the gnome sensed Harry's weakness and sunk his teeth into Harry. He did have a hard job of getting the gnome off, until he swirled and tossed as hard as he could.

"Wow, Harry...that must've been like fifty feet," Fred commented. Josh threw his gnome with wasn't as far as Harry's was.

"See, they're not too bright," George said as he released a gnome. "The moment they know that we're de-gnoming, they pop up. You'd think they know better after the first hundred times." he finished then threw off the last gnome. Josh looked on towards the field to see gnomes straggling away in a line with their shoulders slumped.

"They'll be back," Ron stated as he watched the gnomes wander away. "They love it here...dad's too soft on them; he thinks they're funny." And then The Wealsey brothers, Josh, and Harry walked back into the house through the back door and sat down in the sitting room.

And Just then, the front door slammed.

"Dad's home," George said.

"Morning Weasleys!" Mr. Weasley said loudly. Mr. Weasley then sat one of the sitting chairs and stretched out. "What a night." he said as Mrs. Weasly brought him a cup of tea. "Nine raids, nine! And old Mundungus tried to put a hex on me when i had my back turned..." He finished then turned to see Harry sitting next to Josh, and Josh knew he wasn't looking at him because Josh had met him before he went to work yesterday. "And who are you?" Mr. Weasley asked Harry who jumped.

"Oh, sorry, I'm Harry, sir, Harry Potter," He answered politely.

"Good Lord, are you really?" Mr. Weasley asked. Harry nodded. "Well, Ron's told us a lot about you. When did he get here?"

"This morning," Mrs. Weasley answered. "You're sons flew that enchanted car of yours to Surrey and back last night."

"Did you really?" Mr. Weasley asked his boys eagerly. "How did it go?" And at once the boys started to talk at once, but stopped when the saw the glare from Mrs. Weasley. Mr. Weasley saw the glare and changed his statement. "I mean, That was wrong of you boys, very wrong." Harry, Josh, and Ron exchanged glances and tried not to laugh.

"Let's leave them to it," Ron muttered towards Harry and Josh who nodded and stood up with Ron. "Come on, Harry. We'll show you where we'll be staying."

Ron and Josh led Harry towards the stairs. "We're staying in Bill and Charlie's old room since it's bigger, but i'll show you my room." Ron told Harry who nodded. Ron then led Harry and Josh to the top, to the fifth floor, and into the small room that belonged to Ron Weasley.

Harry and Josh looked around. According to the Chudley Cannons on Ron's wall, they must have been Ron's favorite team. Josh wondered why, they were pretty crappy. The two friends continued to walk around. Ron's spell schoolbooks were stack untidily in the corner, next to a pile of comics that all seemed to be the feature of _The Adventures of __Martin Miggs; The Mad Muggle. _Ron's magic wand lay atop of a fish tank full of frog spawn on the windowsill, next to his lazy rat, Scabbers, who was asleep.

Ron looked at his friends eagerly awaiting their opinion. "It's a bit small," he said. "Not like your guyses rooms i bet. And i'm right underneath the ghoul in the attic; he's always making a lot of noises up there."

"This is the best house I've ever been in," Harry replied with a wide grin.

"Yeah, Ron," Josh said. "It's very nice and comforting. It's full of life and not dull like my house. Reminds me of my Great Auntie Zelda's house and I love her house."

* * *

><p>Life at the Burrow was great. Josh and Harry were having the time of their lifes, and to Josh, it seemed that beside Hogwarts, The Burrow was another place for Harry to be himself and to enjoy life. He looked very happy. Mrs. Weasley seemed to mother him as if Harry was her own child. She fussed over his socks and clothes, and gave him more helpings of food during meal times saying he was too skinny and needed some meat on his bones. What was funny to Josh, was that Mr. Weasley would have Harry sit next to him so he could ask Harry all about muggle items.<p>

Josh heard from Hogwarts one sunny morning about a week and a half since him and Harry arrived at the Burrow. Josh, Harry, and Ron went down to breakfast one morning Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Ginny already sitting at the kitchen table. Harry and Ron entered first as Josh had to tie his shoe. When he entered, he saw Ginny under the table grabbing something. Now, Ginny was a strange little Girl. She seemed to talk to Josh okay, but whenever Harry appeared, she would get all quiet and shy, yet she became very clumsy and blushed a lot.

Josh sat in between Harry and Ron just as Ginny reappeared with her porridge bowl with her face glowing like the setting sun.

"Letters from Hogwarts," Mrs. Weasley said as she passed the three boys their letters. "Dumbledore must know you other boys are here, doesn't miss a trick, that man," she stated. And Just then, Fred and George walked into the kitchen still in their pajamas, yawning and stretching. "Good morning, dears. Your letters have arrived." Mrs. Weasley greeted her twin sons.

For a few minutes of silence as all of the kids read their Hogwarts letters. Josh's told him to catch the Hogwarts Express as usual form King's Cross on September the 1st. There was also a list of the new books he would need:

**Second Year Students Will Require:**

_The Standard Book Of Spells, Grade 2_ by Miranda Goshawk

_Break with the Banshee _by Gilderoy Lockhart

_Gadding with the Ghouls _by Gilderoy Lockhart

_Holidays with the Hags _by Gilderoy Lockhart

_Travels with Trolls _by Gilderoy Lockhart

_Voyages with Vampires _by Gilderoy Lockhart

_Wanderings with Werewolves _by Gilderoy Lockhart

_Year with the Yeti_ by Gilderoy Lockhart

George who had finished reading his, peered over Josh's list. "You've beed told to get Lockhart's books, too," he said.

"That lot won't come cheap," Fred said with a quick look to his parents. "Lockhart's book are very expensive..."

"Well, we'll manage," said Mrs. Weasley, but to Josh, she did look a little worried. "I expect we'll be able to pick up a lot of Ginny's things secondhand."

"Oh, are you starting at Hogwarts this year?" Harry asked Ginny. She nodded, blushing to the roots of her flaming hair, and then put her elbow in her butter dish. No one saw this except Harry and Josh, who was trying not to laugh out loud, as everyone else noticed Percy walk in, dressed, and with his Hogwarts prefect badge attached to his sweater vest.

"Morning all," Percy said. "Lovely morning."

"Errol!" Ron shouted looking towards the window and causing a few to jump. Josh looked out the window to see Errol flew towards the window only to smash into the glass. Ron sat up to approach the bird and muttered, "Pathetic," the spoke louder. "Finally, it's from Hermione. I wrote to her saying we were going to rescue you from the Dursleys," Ron told Harry. Ron opened the letter and read it out loud:

_"Dear Ron, Josh, and Harry if you're there._

_I Hope everything went all right and that Harry is okay and that you didn't do anything illegal to get him out, Ron, because that would get Harry into trouble, too. I've been worried and if Harry is all right, will you please let me know at once, but perhaps it would be better if you use a different owl, because i think another delivery might finish your one off. I'm very busy with school work, of course, and we're going to London next Wednesday to buy my new books. Why don't we meet in Diagon Alley? Let me know what's happening as soon as you can. _

_Love From, Hermione._

_ P.S. Josh, if you're reading this, i hope you're doing well."_

"Well, that fits nicely, we can go and get all your things then," Mrs. Weasley said, starting to clean the table.

Fred, George, Ron, Harry and Josh left to a small paddock the Weasleys owned. It was surrounded by trees that blocked it from view from the village below, meaning the could practice Quidditch there, as long they didn't fly too high. They took turns riding Harry's Nimbus Two Thousand, which was clearly the best broom in the group. Josh didn't have a broom. You couldn't really fly in the city without anyone noticing you.

"Dunno how Mum and Dad are going to afford all of our school stuff," George said while the group was heading back to the Weasley house. "Five sets of Lockharts books! And Ginny needs new robes and a wand and everything..."

Josh sighed as he wished he could do something to help them out. Him and His mother weren't really really rich, but they did get by; a little above average. Josh then looked over at Harry who was watching the ground. He looked a little awkward. Josh tried to remember what his grandfather said about the Potter family, said that they were well off and that Harry's father didn't have to work if they didn't want to. His Grandfather and Harry's Grandfather were friends, until Harry's Grandfather was killed off by Voldemort.

* * *

><p>After a quick half a dozen bacon sandwiches each, they pulled on their coats and Mrs. Weasley took a flowerpot of the kitchen mantelpiece and peered inside. "We're running low, Arthur," she said. "We'll have to buy some more today...Ah, well, guests first! Harry, you go first, dear." And she offered Harry the flower pot.<p>

Harry stared at them all watching him. "W-what do i have to do?" he stammered.

"He's never traveled by floo powder, before," Ron said suddenly. "I'm sorry, Harry, i forgot to tell you about it."

"Well, then you go first Ron, so he can see how it's done," Mrs. Weasley said. Ron nodded and walked forwards while grabbing a pinch of floo powder.

"Diagon Alley!" Ron bellowed and threw the floo powder down and he was engulfed in the green flames and disappeared. Josh turned to look at Harry who had a surprised look on his face.

"There, you see, nothing to worry about," Mrs. Weasley said as Harry then walked into the fireplace looking a little nervous. Mrs. Weasley held the pot in front of Harry who grabbed some powder. "And speak very clearly and keep yourself tucked in and elbows close to your body." Harry nodded and looked at Josh who gave an encouraging smile and a thumbs up.

"Diagonally!" Harry shouted and then disappeared through the green flames. Everyone began to look at one another worriedly.

"W-what did he say, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked her husband.

"Diagonally," Mr. Weasley replied while staring at the fireplace.

"What do we do?" Fred asked.

"Yeah, he could be anywhere," George asked. Josh looked at the fireplace worriedly. George was right, Harry could be anywhere, but Josh didn't care, because he was going in after Harry and bring him back, and before anyone knew it, Josh was walking towards the fireplace and grabbed some floo powder.

"Where are you going?" Ginny asked him curiously.

"I'm going after Harry," Josh answred loudly as everyone turned to look at Josh.

"We can't let you do that!" Mrs. Weasley told him.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Weasley, but he'll probably trust me more, no offenze. And you can tell my mother, but i'm going to help my best friend," Josh told Mrs. Weasley.

"Meet us at Flourish and Blotts," Mr. Weasley said quickly, and then Josh shouted.

"Diagonally!" and then disappeared threw the green flames. "Whoa!" Josh shouted as he flew out of the fireplace and landed on top of someone.

"Ow," the person said from under Josh. Josh looked under him to see Harry.

"Harry!" Josh said as he jumped off his friend.

"Josh?" Harry said as he stood up rubbing his head. Just like Josh, Harry was covered in soot, but his glasses were broken. "What are you doing here? I mean, are we in the right place?"

"No," Josh answered already knowing, yet took a look around. The place looked old and dust, and it was filled with ancient, old, and dark looking items. "No, we are definitely not it Diagon Alley, and if i would guess, We are in a dark shop in Knockturn Alley." Josh explained.

"Knockturn Alley?" Harry repeated.

"Yeah, but no worries, we're not that far from Diagon Alley," Josh replied while looking around. "Now if we could find the exit out of this place, then I could totally lead us into the safer Alley. Come on," he said, and Harry followed him as Josh led them out. Minutes later, they found the exit and left the building. Josh looked at the sign that said Borgin and Burkes. Josh led Harry a few feet only for Harry then drag Josh into an Alcove. "What is it?" Josh said, but was shushed by Harry.

"Look," Harry whispered and pointed. Josh looked to see where he was pointing and saw him: Draco Malfoy, walking next to a tall middle-aged man with long blonde hair, grey eyes, black robes, and a mad looking expression on his face. Harry and Josh watched in silent and held their breathes as Malfoy and what seemed to be his father pass by. The two Gryffindors let out a breath of relief when they were out of sight. Josh noticed that the two walked into Borgin and Burke's.

"Come on," Josh told Harry. Harry nodded and followed Josh. They only made it a few feet when an aged ugly and horrible looking witch stopped the two boys.

"Not lost, are you my dears?" She asked Harry and Josh who shook their heads eagerly and nervously, afraid of this scary looking woman who then grabbed Josh's arm. "Come on, I'll show you the way you need to go," the aged witch said very creepily.

"Uh, no thanks, lady," Josh told her with Harry nodding. The witch then grabbed Harry as well and her grip was tight.

"Um, no offense lady, but we kinda have to be somewhere," Harry said to her. Josh looked around to see other strange looking wizards and witches surrounding the, obviously noticing that Harry Potter was here.

"Oh no you don't," the lady replied. "Where you have to be is here!"

"Harry! Josh!" said a loud booming voice causing the people to scatter and the aged witch to let go of Harry and Josh. The two Gryffindors looked towards the sound of the voice and saw the tall half-giant gamekeeper of Hogwarte: Rubeus Hagrid. "What are you two doing down here?"

"Hagrid!" Harry and Josh shouted in surprise and then ran over two him.

"Come on, let's get yer two out of here," Hagrid told them and led the two Gryffindor boys out of the bad alley and into Diagon Alley. "How'd you two get down there in the first place, all dirty an what not."

"We sorta got lost in the floo travel thing," Harry explained the half giant. Hagrid nodded in understanding.

"What about you, Hagrid?" Josh asked. "What were you doing down there?"

"Oh i was lookin fer flesh eatin slug repelant," Hagrid answered as the three walked down Diagon Alley. "They're ruining all the school cabbages." Harry and Josh shared a glance.

"Joshua! Harry!" Someone shouted. The two turned to see Hermione running up to them and smiled at her.

"Hermione!" the two said in unison. Hermione arrived in front of the two and gave them each a hug.

"What happened to your glasses?" Hermione asked Harry who shared a look with Josh. "Oh, hello Hagrid! Are you two coming to the Flourish and Botts?"

"As soon as we find the Weasleys," Harry told her.

"Oh, don't worry, they're already there, " Hermione told them.

"I leave you to them," Hagrid said and then left.

"Come on," Hermoin said as she grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him along. Josh then began to follow. Hermione and Harry entered the bookstore and Josh was about to enter the store, when someone stopped him.

"Josh Anderson," said a girl's voice. Josh turned to see his other best friend leaning agaisnt the wall; Daphne Greengrass. She looked taller and her hair seemed a big longer, and for some reason, Josh had a warm feeling and he went to hug her.

"How are you?" Josh asked as he let go of her and she eyed his dirtiness. "Did you have a good summer?"

"Yeah, it was okay," she replied with a smile.

"So, are you here to get your books, then?" Josh asked.

"Yeah, but I already got them," Daphne answered as she grinned. "You should hurry and get yours, and then get them signed."

"Signed?" Josh repeated. "Signed for what?"

"Gilderoy Lockhart's here today signing his books for his fans," Daphne answered with a dreamily look in her eye causing Josh to raise his eyebrow. "He's a very interesting, handsome, powerful, adventurous, and an intelligent man."

Josh snorted. "Yeah, well why don't you marry him." he said annoyingly. Josh wasn't going to say it, but he already thought this Lockhart guys was a fraud or at least an attention seeking whore.

"Maybe I will," Daphne replied stubbornly as Josh rolled his eyes and shook his head. "So, how is the Weasley's place?" she asked.

"It's pretty great," Josh replied. "Been able to get out of a lot of things while my mother isn't there, even when we rescued Harry."

"You rescued Harry?" Daphne repeated with her eyebrow raised.

"Yeah, me, Ron, and his brothers..."

"Josh!"

Josh froze as he rocognized Hermione's voice. "Yeah, I'll tell you about it later," he told Daphne. "I better go before she finds us." Josh turned to leave.

"Josh, wait," Daphne called gaining the boy's attention. "Don't you think it's time we should tell your friends about us? I mean, they can't fall for that, 'I need to Study' or somthing like that again."

Josh looked to be thinking it over, and the shrugged. "Alright, but if we tell my friends, then we tell yours too, okay?" Daphne nodded. "Alright, bye."

"Bye," Daphne replied and then ran into Flourish and Botts to see a crowd.

"Great," Josh sighed.

"Glad you could join us," Fred spoke from behind Josh who turned to see grinning twins.

"Yeah, I had to take care of something," Josh replied with his arms crossed.

"Or rather, someone," George replied. Josh rolled his eyes and shook his head. He turned in time to hear clapping and to see Ron, Harry, Hermione, Ginny, and Percy to Appear from the crowd, all covered in soot except Hermione. Josh smiled as they walked up to him. And before he could speak, someone else spoke first,

"I'll bet you loved that, didn't you, Potter? Famous Harry Potter! Can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page," Draco sneered as he just arrived in front of the group, appearing out of no where.

"Leave him alone," came a small voice. Josh turned to see that it was Ginny who had spoken.

"Oh look, Potter. You've got yourself a girlfriend," Draco smiled, and was about to insult Harry again, when Suddenly, a silver snake head slammed down on Draco's shoulder, making everyone to look behind him at the man which Josh could only assume to be Draco's father since they looked so much alike.

"Now, now, Draco, play nicely. Mr. Potter… Lucius Malfoy. We meet at last," Mr. Malfoy greeted shaking hands with Harry before yanking him toward him, and using the snake head on the top of his cane to move the hair off of Harry's forehead. "Forgive me, your scar is legend… as, of course, is the wizard who gave it to you," Mr. Malfoy smiled. Josh looked at the smile and thought it did not look like such a nice smile, more like menacing and scary.

"Voldemort killed my parents," Harry growled simply, causing Mr. Malfoy to let go of him. "He was nothing more than a murderer." Josh smirked while some of the Weasleys shuddered.

"Hmm. You must be very brave, to mention his name. Or very foolish," Mr. Malfoy told him.

"Fear of a name only increase fear of the thing itself," Came Hermione's voice from next to Josh. Mr. Malfoy turned with a look of amusement and a little disgust on his face as he looked down at the muggleborn.

"And you must be… Miss Granger?" He said with a glance at Draco who nodded. "Yes, Draco's told me all about you, and your parents. Muggles, aren't they?" Mr. Malfoy smiled fakily before his eyes fell on Josh. "Ah, Young Mr...Anderson, I believe. How is your mother? I have not seen here in years, and it would be a good visit. It's a shame you couldn't be friends with my Draco." Josh stared at Mr. Malfoy then at Draco.

"I would rather fight a giant man-eating snake than be friends with your son. _Mr. _Malfoy," Josh replied with a glare at Mr. Malfoy.

Mr. Malfoy glared at Josh for a second before moving on to Ron and his siblings. "Let me see… red hair… vacant expressions…" Mr. Malfoy then grabbed a book out of Ginny's cauldron and looked it over with a slightly scrunched nose. "Tatty second hand book. You must be the Weasleys."

"Children," Mr. Weasley spoke up from behind the group as he smiled down at the kids, looking a little uncomfortable. "It's mad in here! Let's go outside."

"Well, well, well. Weasley senior," Mr. Malfoy greeted.

"Lucius." Mr. Weasley greeted back with his head held high, not itemidated by Mr. Malfoy.

"Busy time at the Ministry, Arthur, all those extra raids? I do hope they're paying you overtime, but judging by the state of this, I'd say not. What's the use in being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it," Mr. Malfoy said smartly, most likely trying to get a rise out of Mr. Weasley.

"We have a very different idea about what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy," Mr. Weasley bit back. Josh, Harry, and Ron looked at one another with Half smiles.

"Clearly. Associating with Muggles… and I thought your family could sink no lower," Mr. Malfoy smiled as he then put Ginny's book and unbeknownst to all, another black book, into her cauldron. "See you at work," Mr. Malfoy said the left the bookstore.

"See you at school," Draco told with a glare towards Harry and his friends, and then followed after his father.

Once all Hogwarts children got their books, The Weasley's, Harry, and Josh parted ways from the Grangers and went back to the Burrow. Josh saw Harry pocket his glasses before getting back into the fireplace, and this time, he spoke very clearly. Josh then entered the fireplace thinking that he couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts, because it was going to be the best.


	3. Back At Hogwarts

Chapter 3: Back at Hogwarts

Life at the Burrow was coming to end to quickly for Josh and Harry's liking. Josh did have a great summer, but he couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts. He couldn't wait to started learning about new spells, new curses, hexes, charms, potions, and all other kinds of things he would learn at his cool School.

On their last evening, Mrs. Weasley had prepared a very sumptuous dinner with some of the kids favorite foods and ending with a mouthwatering treacle pudding. Fred and George had even let off some fireworks that flew around the room and bounced off the walls. The day ended with one last mug of Hot Chocolate, and then it was off to bed.

The following morning, Mrs. Weasley had awoken them up as the sun rose. Harry and Josh sat in the sitting in the room as they had already had all their things ready to go. They sat and watched the Weasley family bustle around and quickly get their things ready. The two had even accidentally fell asleep for a little bit until Mr. Weasley had waken them up so the two could take their things to the car.

Mr. Weasley led the two Gryffindors towards the car and opened the trunk. "Not a word to Molly," he said to the two boys. Harry and Josh looked inside and were surpised to see that the trunk had been magically expanded so it could be big enough to fit seven trunks and then some. Harry and Josh shared a smile as the two then threw their trunks into the trunk.

When they were finally in the car, Mrs. Weasley glanced into the back seat where Josh, Harry, Fred, George, Ron, and Percy were all sitting comfortably side by side, and looked to have room enough for two more people. Harry, Josh, Ron, and Percy all had their pets in their laps. Ginny sat in the front with Mr. And Mrs. Weasley where it could sit a few more people. "

Mr. Weasley started up the engine and they trundled out of the yard. When they were about to leave it, George shouted that he had forgotten his filibuster fireworks. Five minutes after that, they had to skid to a halt because Fred had forgotten his broom, and then after that, Ginny had shouted that she forgot her diary. By the time she had sat in the car, they were finally ready to leave, and they were late, and a few tempers were running high, mostly Mrs. Weasley and Percy.

They reached King's cross station a quarter to eleven. Mr. Weasley had to dash across the street to get some trolleys for their trunks and they all hurried into the station. Soon enough, they were getting closer to platforms nine and ten, and could see it.

"Percy, you first!" Mrs. Weasley said as she was glancing at the clock that said they only had a few minutes left to get onto the train.

Percy strode forwards and flew through the barrier. Mr. Weasley went next, then Fred and George, and then Mrs. Weasley and Ginny. And then it was Josh's turn. He quickly ran through the barrier without even looking back and then came out the other side. Still not looking back, in a hurry, and thinking that Harry and Ron were right behind him, Josh clambered onto the train with his owl and trunk and then sighed in relief. He then began to find a compartment which happened to be the last one, yet it wasn't totally empty as it sat Neville Longbottom; a short, shy plump of a boy who was pretty forgetful.

"Hi, Neville," Josh greeted as he entered the compartment and threw his owl and trunk on the top shelves where Neville's were, and left the other side free for Harry and Ron.

"Hiya, Josh," Neville greeted as he watched Josh put his things up. "Have a good summer?" he asked just as the whistle blew, and the train started to move.

"I did," Josh said as he sat across from Neville. "Best I ever had." he smiled. "Did you?"

"It was okay," Nevill answered with a small smile, and just then, Ginny and Hermione entered the compartment with confused looks and then continued to put their things up on the shelves above their heads.

"Josh, where are Harry and Ron?" Hermione asked him with a worried look in her eye as she sat next to Josh and Ginny saw next to Neville.

Josh shrugged. "I don't know, once i came out of the barrier, i came straight here without looking back," he answered. "But i expect that they would be somewhere else on the train, yeah?"

"No, they're not," Ginny replied worriedly.

"What do you mean they're not?" Josh asked the red head, getting a little worried himself.

"Josh," Hermione called getting his attention. "We already looked through the whole train when we started from the front, and we haven't seen them at all."

"But how could that be?" Josh said. "I mean, they were right behind me! They should be on the train."

"Well, they're obviously not!" Hermione replied, and then Josh stood up.

"Well, then, I'm going to go check!" he said. "Just in case."

"We already did," Hermione said.

"Well, i'm going to do it again and for myself," Josh said heatedly and then left the compartment. Harry and Ron had to be on the train as they were right on Josh's tail. They came through the barrier right? Oh if only Josh looked back to see if they were following him.

Josh walked down the train corridors looking through each comapartment for Ron and Harry, but once he reached the front of the train, there was no sign of his two best friends. While Josh was walking back, he was thinking, thinking of how the could miss the train. Maybe they ran out of time and left without them? No, that couldn't have happened. Or maybe the barrier closed on them or something, but how was that possible. The barrier was always open, but maybe, _maybe_, this time, someone did close it. Harry did say that someone didn't want him to go back to Hogwarts and maybe that was their doing.

Josh entered his compartment looking a little glum and still thinking. Without a word, he took his seat across from Neville and by the window.

"I told you," Hermione stated quietly.

"Hermione, i don't think now's the time to be a know it all," Neville said surprising Hermione and himself for saying that. "No offense," he said quietly and then truned to look out the window, blushing.

"So, what do you think happened?" Ginny asked after a few moments of silence.

"It's obvious isn't it," Hermione said as the three all looked at her. "They missed the train cause they were too late."

"No they weren't," Josh spoke up. "I don't think that happened and so do you." he said to Hermione.

"Then what do you think happened?" Neville asked.

"They were left behind, yeah," Josh started. "That's because someone had made them miss the train."

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked.

"Someone closed the barrier to keep Ron and Harry from coming through and getting on the train," Josh answered.

"Why would someone do that?" Neville asked.

"Because of Dobby," Josh said without thinking. Hermione gasped as she then began to realize what Josh may be saying is true. Ginny and Neville looked back at Josh questioninlgy and pretty confused.

"Who's Dobby?" Neville asked.

"Some house elf who told Harry not to go back to Hogwarts because there's an evil plot to make most terrible things happen this year at Hogwarts," Josh answered simple while looking Neville who gulped and was wide eyed.

"How do you know this?" Ginny asked.

"Harry told us," Hermione answered before Josh could.

"Do you think this Dobby is trying to keep Harry away?" Neville asked. Josh nodded and smiled.

"Yeah that's what i think, Nev," he answered. "See Neville, you are smarter than you look." Neville blushed and shrugged.

"He's right, Neville," Hermione said with a smile that made Neville blush even more.

A few hours passed by and the four children talked about summers and what house Ginny would be in and what she couldn't wait to do. They were all laughing at one point and eating some snacks, when Josh looked out the window and something in the distance caught his eye.

"So, how do you think Harry and Ron are getting to Hogwarts?" Josh asked the three friends.

"Maybe they wrote to Dumbledore and apparated back to Hogwarts and are already there," Hermione answered and then took a bite of some licorice.

"Maybe they waited for Mum and Dad, and then flooed to Hogwarts," Ginny answered.

"Maybe they took the Knight Bus," Neville answered.

"Or maybe," Josh started gaining his friends' attention while looking out the window. "They stole Mr. Weasley's flying car, and are trying to fly it to Hogwarts." Ginny, Neville, and Hermione looked at one another before they began to laugh out loud.

"That's impossible. Those two couldn't fly a car," Hermione said.

"Really?" Josh said as he turned towards Hermione and then pointed out the window with his thumb. "Cause they're doing it right now." He said. The other three stopped laughing and jumped over towards the window, and sure enough, there it was. The flying Ford Anglia, flying next to the Hogwarts Express. Josh could tell it was Harry and Ron, and plus he'd recognized that flying car anywhere.

"Sweet Merlin!" Neville said while staring at the car. "It's a flying car. They really are flying it aren't they!"

"Mum and Dad are totally going to kill Ron," Ginny said.

"How could they do this!" Hermione said. "I told them that we are not going to be rule breaking this year!"

"Yeah, that didn't last," Josh snorted.

"What do we do?" Neville asked.

"Nothing," Josh replied. "Let them fly. I'm sure they'll make it to Hogwarts by following the train."

"Yeah, let's hope they don't crash," Ginny replied.

Hours later, The sun was gone, and all children dressed into the robes, the train came to a stop at Hogsmeade station. Josh, Ginny, Hermione and Neville exited the train and heard Hagrid's booming voice saying, "Firs' years! Firs' years this way!"

"That's you," Josh told Ginny who nodded nervously and followed the sound of Hagrid's voice. Josh then turned to Hermione. "Now, what do we do?" he asked cluelessly.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Come on, follow me," she said and Josh and Neville followed her. "For top student, you can be really stupid."

"Well, I don't want to be like you," Josh said smartly earning a slap from Hermione, yet Josh dodged it. "Missed me!" he said smugly until he was then tripped in fell to the ground. Neville and Hermione looked to see it was Nott who had tripped him and was running to the Carriages.

"Have a nice fall, Anderson!" he shouted then entered the carriage laughing.

"He's such a jerk," Hermione said as she and Neville helped Josh up to his feet.

"Yeah, just wait, I'll get him back," Josh said while whiping his face.

"Don't bother, Joshua," Hermione said while brushing him off. "He's not worth it." Josh rolled his eyes and then walked over towards the carriages where he entered with Hermione and Neville, where they were joined by Blaise Zabini from Slytherin who sat next to Neville who seemed afraid to be next to a Slytherin. Josh and Blaise looked at one another and gave each other a slight nod, and this did not go unnoticed by Hermione who did see the whole exchange.

The carriages made it back to Hogwarts fifteen minutes later, and the four exited the carriage. Josh, Hermione, and Neville made it to the front steps, when Josh stopped. Hermione and Neville looked at him questioningly.

"You two go on ahead," he told them. "Imma wait for Harry and Ron." Hermione rolled her eyes then entered the castle. Neville then waved bye and followed after her. Josh then moved through the crowd avoiding the prefects, and to find a good place to wait for Harry and Ron. 15 more minutes had passed while Josh sat in the shadows alone. He then saw the first years enter the castle with Hagrid in the lead. He then stood up to keep an eye out for his two friends now that everyone had passed by and that he was in the clear.

Josh stood there with still no sign of Harry or Ron or the flying car. "Where are they?" he whispered to himself.

"Mr. Anderson, what are you doing here?" said a cold and icy voice. Josh froze and slowly turned to find Professor Snape staring right back at him .

"Uh..welll, you see...professor," Josh stuttered trying to quickly come up with an excuse. "I was feeling slightly woozy and i thought i could get some air and cool off...?"

"Really?" Snape said. "That's funny cause i never saw you enter the Great Hall or the Castle at all."

"Oh, uh." was all Josh said. Josh and Snape's heads turned when they heard voices, saying where Snape was. Snape walked forward and grabbed Josh by the collar and brung him along.

"Maybe he's been Sacked!" Josh heard someone say that sounded a lot like Ron, and then, Harry and Ron came into view staring throuhg a Great Hall window. "I mean, everyone hates him..."

"Or maybe, wondering why you two didn't arrive on the school train." Snape said. Ron and Harry froze and turned around only to see Josh as the shadows hid Snape, and only Josh knew Snape was behind him.

"Josh?" the two said in unison.

"Wow, Josh," Ron said as they walked closer. "You did a very good impression of Snape, scared us a bit."

"Speak for yourself," Harry said with a roll of his eyes.

"I'm sorry, but Snape is very scary with his crooked nose and sneering and greasy hair," Ron said, not even noticing Snape was there.

"Guys, I don't think it's the best time to be talking about Snape right now," Josh told his two friends who looked at him strangely.

"Why not?" Ron asked.

"Because, he might be listening," Snape said as he appeared out of the shadows next to Josh. Harry and Ron stood frozen in fear. "Follow me," he commanded as he grabbed Josh by the collar once more and dragged him along. Not daring to look back at his friends, Josh let Snape guide him and his friends through the castle and into Snape's office. He opened his door and let go of Josh. "In!" he commanded and the three Gryffindors entered Snape's office.

Josh shivered as he looked around the office. The Shadowy walls were lined with shelves of large glass jars, in which floated all manners of revolting things Josh didn't really want to know the name of. The fireplace was dark and empty, and Snape's desk was filled with books and parchment. Snape closed the door and turned to look at them.

"So," Snape said quietly as he walked over towards his desk. "The train isn't good enough for the famous Harry Potter and his faithful sidekick, Ronald Weasley. Wanted to arrive with a bang, did we boys?"

"No sir," Harry started. "but the barrier sea-"

"Silence!" Snape bellowed then looked towards Josh. "And _you, _you knew about this as well and decided to wait for your friends to show them a way out of trouble?" Josh bowed his head and didn't say anything. Snape then looked back at Harry and Ron. "Now, Where's the car?" he demanded. Ron gulped as no one answered, and then Snape whipped out the Evening Prophet and set it on the table. "You were seen by no less than seven muggles! Not to mention the damage you've done to the Whomping Willow that's been on these grounds before you were born!"

"It seems that tree did more damage to us..."Ron blurted out.

"Silence!" Snape snapped again. "Were you in my house, all of you would be on the train home tonight!" All three boys stared at Professor Snape white faced and wide eyed. "Wait here as I will go get the people who do have the power to punish you!" Snape left his office leaving the three Gryffindors in silence.

Ten minutes later, Snape had come back with Professor McGonagall who was looking stern as ever. "Sit," she ordered the boys who all sat in an empty seat then looked at Josh as he was standing. "And you Mr. Anderson may go." she told him.

"What?" he said puzzled.

"As it seems, you were not involved in this. You were merely just waiting for your friends, am i right?" McGonnagall spoke. Josh turned to look at Snape who glared and sneered back.

"Yes, ma'am," Josh answered. McGonagall nodded and Josh left the office with a breath of relief, yet he couldn't say the same for Harry and Ron. Josh was leaving the dungeons when he turned a corner to see Dumbledore.

"Evening, Joshua Anderson," Dumbeldore greeted.

"Evening, Professor," Josh greeted back.

"Be sure to try the custard tart, it looks very delicious this evening," Dumbledore said the walked into the dungeons. Josh stared at the retreating professor before heading towards the Great Hall to have some food. When he got back, people asked him about Harry and Ron, but he only shrugged it off and pretended not to know.

Later that night, the common room was fill with loud clappings and loud cheering. It seemed as the Gryffindor house was all impressed with Harry and Ron's actions.

* * *

><p>The beginning of the next day was filled with a great breakfast and a very shocking scene. Josh was sitting in between Neville and Hermione when it happened.<p>

"Mail's due any minute — I think Gran's sending a few things I forgot." Neville said as he poured himself some orange juice.

"Neville, you'd forget your own head if it wasn't screwed on tight." Josh said jokingly at Neville who blushed and gave a small smile. Josh chuckled to himself as he turned to see Hermione glaring at him. "What?" he asked innocently.

Seconds later, there was a rushing sound overhead and a hundred or so owls streamed in, circling the hall and dropping letters and packages into the chattering crowd. A big, lumpy package bounced off Neville's head and, a second later, something large and gray fell into Hermione's jug, spraying them all with milk and feathers. A letter also dropped in front of Josh that happened to be from his mother.

"Errol!" said Ron, pulling the bedraggled owl out by the feet. Errol slumped, Unconscious, onto the table, his legs in the air and a damp red envelope in his beak.

"Oh, no—" Ron gasped.

"It's all right, he's still alive," said Hermione, prodding Errol gently with the tip of her finger.

"It's not that—it's that." Ron said pointing at the red envelope. It looked quite ordinary to Harry and Hermione, but Ron, Josh, and Neville were looking at it as though they expected it to explode.

"What's the matter?" said Harry.

"She's— she's sent me a Howler," said Ron faintly.

"You'd better open it, Ron," said Neville in a timid whisper. "It'll be worse if you don't. My gran sent me one once, and I ignored it and"—he gulped—"it was horrible."

Harry looked from their petrified faces to the red envelope. "What's a Howler?" he said which no one seemed to answer.

But Ron's whole attention was fixed on the letter, which had begun to smoke at the corners.

"Open it," Josh urged. "It'll all be over before you know it —"

Ron stretched out a shaking hand, eased the envelope from Errol's beak, and slit it open. Neville stuffed his fingers in his ears and Josh braced for impact. A split second later, Harry did get his answer as a roar of sound filled the huge hall, shaking dust from the ceiling.

"—STEALING THE CAR, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE —"

Mrs. Weasleys yells, a hundred times louder than usual, made the plates and spoons rattle on the table, and echoed deafeningly off the stone walls. People throughout the hall were swivelling around to see who had received the Howler, and Ron sank so low in his chair that only his crimson forehead could be seen.

"—LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND HARRY COULD BOTH HAVE DIED —"

Josh turned to see the scared look on Ron's face.

"—ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED — YOUR FATHER'S FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME."

A ringing silence fell. The red envelope, which had dropped from Ron's hand, burst into flames and curled into ashes. Harry and Ron sat stunned, as though a tidal wave had just passed over them. A few people laughed and, gradually, a babble of talk broke out again.

"Well, I don't know what you expected, Ron, but you—" Hermione started.

"Don't tell me I deserved it," snapped Ron.

"Yeah, Hermione. He doesn't need any lecture from you," Josh said defending Ron.

Seconds later, Professor McGonagall was moving along the Gryffindor table, handing out course schedules. Josh accepted his and saw that the Gryffindors had double Herbology with the Hufflepuffs first.

Harry, Ron, Josh and Hermione left the castle together, crossed the vegetable patch, and made for the greenhouses, where the magical plants were kept.

As they neared the greenhouses they saw the rest of the class standing outside, waiting for Professor Sprout. Harry, Ron, Josh and Hermione had only just joined them when she came striding into view across the lawn, accompanied by Gilderoy Lockhart.

Professor Sprout was a squat little witch who wore a patched hat over her flyaway hair; there was usually a large amount of earth on her clothes and under her fingernails. Gilderoy Lockhart, however, was immaculate in sweeping robes of turquoise, his golden hair shining under a perfectly positioned turquoise hat with gold trimming.

"Oh, hello there!" he called, beaming around at the assembled students. "Just been showing Professor Sprout the right way to doctor a Whomping Willow! But I don't want you running away with the idea that I'm better at Herbology than she is! I just happen to have met several of these exotic plants on my travels…"

"Greenhouse three today, chaps!" said Professor Sprout, who was looking distinctly disgruntled, not at all her usual cheerful self.

There was a murmur of interest. They had only ever worked in greenhouse one before—greenhouse three housed far more interesting and dangerous plants. Professor Sprout took a large key from her belt and unlocked the door. Josh caught a whiff of damp earth and fertilizer mingling with the heavy perfume of some giant, umbrella-sized flowers dangling from the ceiling. He was the first to enter and when he turned to look back, he saw that Lockhart had stopped Harry to talk to him.

A minute later, Harry came back to settle next to Josh and Ron. Josh was also next to Hermione.

Professor Sprout was standing behind a trestle bench in the centre of the greenhouse. About twenty pairs of different-coloured ear muffs were lying on the bench. She said, "We'll be repotting Mandrakes today. Now, who can tell me the properties of the Mandrake?"

To nobody's surprise, Hermione's hand was first into the air, and for the fun of it today, Josh had threw up his hand before Hermione did.

"Mandrake, or Mandragora, is a powerful restorative," said Josh turning to look at Hermione and smile. "It is used to return people who have been transfigured or cursed _or _petrified to their original state." He turned back to Hermione looking smug. Hermione rolled her eyes and turned towards Sprout.

"Excellent. Ten points to Gryffindor," said Professor Sprout. "The Mandrake forms an essential part of most antidotes. It is also, however, dangerous. Who can tell me why?"

Josh threw up his hand as it shot up before Hermione's once again.

"The _cry_ of the Mandrake is _fatal_ to anyone who _hears_ it," he said promptly putting a few emphases on a few words.

"Precisely. Take another ten points," said Professor Sprout. Josh turned to look at Hermione with a grin while she frowned back. "Now, the Mandrakes we have here are still very young."

She pointed to a row of deep trays as she spoke, and everyone shuffled forward for a better look. A hundred or so tufty little plants, purplish green in colour, were growing there in rows. They looked quite unremarkable to Harry, who didn't have the slightest idea what his sister meant by the "cry" of the Mandrake.

"Everyone take a pair of earmuffs," said Professor Sprout.

There was a scramble as everyone tried to seize a pair that wasn't pink and fluffy. Josh not caring what color he wanted, just grabbed the pink ones.

"When I tell you to put them on, make sure your ears are completely covered," said Professor Sprout. "When it is safe to remove them, I will give you the thumbs-up. Right—earmuffs on."

Josh snapped the earmuffs over his ears. They shut out sound completely. Professor Sprout put the pink, fluffy pair over her own ears, rolled up the sleeves of her robes, grasped one of the tufty plants firmly, and pulled hard.

Instead of roots, a small, muddy, and extremely ugly baby popped out of the earth. The leaves were growing right out of his head. He had pale green, mottled skin, and was clearly bawling at the top of his lungs.

Professor Sprout took a large plant pot from under the table and plunged the Mandrake into it, burying him in dark, damp compost until only the tufted leaves were visible. Professor Sprout dusted off her hands, gave them all the thumbs-up, and removed her own earmuffs.

"As our Mandrakes are only seedlings, their cries won't kill yet," she said calmly as though she'd just done nothing more exciting than water a begonia. "However, they will knock you out for several hours, and as I'm sure none of you want to miss your first day back, make sure your earmuffs are securely in place while you work. I will attract your attention when it is time to pack up.

"Four to a tray—there is a large supply of pots here—compost in the sacks over there — and be careful of the Venomous Tentacula, it's teething."

She gave a sharp slap to a spiky, dark red plant as she spoke, making it draw in the long feelers that had been inching sneakily over her shoulder.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were joined at their tray by a curly-haired Hufflepuff boy Josh knew by sight but had never spoken to, while Josh joined Neville and a Hufflepuff girl by the name of Hannah Abbott and a Hufflepuff boy.

After that they didn't have much chance to talk. Their earmuffs were back on and they needed to concentrate on the Mandrakes. Professor Sprout had made it look extremely easy, but it wasn't. The Mandrakes didn't like coming out of the earth, but didn't seem to want to go back into it either. They squirmed, kicked, flailed their sharp little fists, and gnashed their teeth; Harry spent ten whole minutes trying to squash a particularly fat one into a pot.

By the end of the class, Josh, like everyone else, were sweaty, aching, and covered in earth. Everyone traipsed back to the castle for a quick wash and then the Gryffindors hurried off to Transfiguration.

Professor McGonagall's classes were always hard work, but today was especially difficult. Josh was supposed to be turning a beetle into a button, and he had managed to do it on his twelveth try, earning the Gryffindor some points. Hermione was not far behind him.

Ron was having far worse problems as Josh had learned that he had broken his wand the previous night. He had patched up his wand with some borrowed Spellotape, but it seemed to be damaged beyond repair. It kept crackling and sparking at odd moments, and every time Ron tried to transfigure his beetle it engulfed him in thick gray smoke that smelled of rotten eggs. Unable to see what he was doing, Ron accidentally squashed his beetle with his elbow and had to ask for a new one. Professor McGonagall wasn't pleased.

They went down to lunch, where Ron's mood was not improved by Hermione's showing them the handful of perfect coat buttons she had produced in Transfiguration, so Josh had to get her to put them away and to stop showing off.

"What've we got this afternoon?" said Harry, hastily changing the subject.

"Defence Against the Dark Arts," said Hermione at once.

"Why," demanded Ron, seizing her schedule, "have you outlined all Lockhart's lessons in little hearts?" Josh and Harry silently laughed at her.

Hermione snatched the schedule back, blushing furiously.

They finished lunch and went outside into the overcast courtyard. Hermione sat down on a stone step and buried her nose in _Voyages with Vampires_ again. Josh walked over to her and snatched the book out from her books, and Hermione gave a protesting, "Hey!"

"Why do you read this stuff?" Josh asked flipping through the pages.

"Because it's required," Hermione answered as she snatched the book back. "Have you not read your books, yet?"

"Ha, no!" Josh scoffed. He turned around to see Harry and Ron talking to a very small, mousy-haired boy clutching what looked like an ordinary Muggle camera.

Minutes later, the two came back over to Josh and Hermione. Ron was talking about someone starting a Harry Potter fan club and Harry was telling him to shut up.

It was now time for Defense Against the Dark Arts class. When the whole class was seated, Lockhart cleared his throat loudly and silence fell. He reached forward, picked up Seamus Finnegan's copy of Travels with Trolls, and held it up to show his own, winking portrait on the front. Josh was sitting next to Hermione while Harry sat next to Ron.

"Me," he said, pointing at it and winking as well, making the Josh scoff and roll his eyes. "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defence League, and five time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!" He grinned and then waited for them to laugh; a few people smiled weakly and Josh stared at the git lazily. "I see you've all bought a complete set of my books—well done. I thought we'd start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about—just to check how well you've read them, how much you've taken in—"

When he had handed out the test papers he returned to the front of the class and said, "You have thirty minutes—start—now!"

Josh looked down at his paper and read:

_1. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favourite colour?_

_2. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?_

_3. What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?_

On and on it went, over three sides of paper, right down to:

_54. When is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday, and what would his ideal gift be?_

Half an hour later, Lockhart collected the papers and rifled through them in front of the class.

"Tut, tut—hardly any of you remembered that my favourite colour is lilac. I say so in Year with the Yeti. And a few of you need to read Wanderings with Werewolves more carefully — I clearly state in chapter twelve that my ideal birthday gift would be harmony between all magic and non-magic peoples—though I wouldn't say no to a large bottle of Ogden's Old Firewhisky! But i will say no to a swift kick in my bottom." He said with a glance at Josh. Josh smiled innocently, as he didn't say bottom, but something more vulgar.

Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were sitting in front, were shaking with silent laughter. Hermione, on the other hand, was listening to Lockhart with rapt attention and gave a start when he mentioned her name.

"… but Miss Hermione Granger knew my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil and market my own range of hair-care potions—good girl! In fact"—he flipped her paper over — "full marks! Where is Miss Hermione Granger?"

Hermione raised a trembling hand.

"Excellent!" beamed Lockhart. "Quite excellent! Take ten points each for Gryffindor! And so—to business—"

He bent down behind his desk and lifted a large, covered cage onto it.

"Now—be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizardkind! You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. All I ask is that you remain calm."

In spite of themselves, Josh leaned around their piles of books for a better look at the cage. Lockhart placed a hand on the cover. Dean and Seamus had stopped laughing now. Neville was cowering in his seat.

"I must ask you not to scream," said Lockhart in a low voice. "It might provoke them." As the whole class held its breath, Lockhart whipped off the cover. "Yes," he said dramatically. _"Freshly caught Cornish pixies." _Seamus Finnigan couldn't control himself. He let out a snort of laughter that even Lockhart couldn't mistake for a scream of terror. "Yes?" He smiled at Seamus.

"Well, they're not—they're not very—dangerous, are they?" Seamus choked. Josh stared at the pixies in anger. When he was younger, about 9, he had a bad experience with them and was always waiting to exract his revenge.

"Don't be so sure!" said Lockhart, waggling a finger annoyingly at Seamus. "Devilish tricky little blighters they can be!" The pixies were electric blue and about eight inches high, with pointed faces and voices so shrill it was like listening to a lot of budgies arguing. The moment the cover had been removed, they had started jabbering and rocketing around, rattling the bars and making bizarre faces at the people nearest them. "Right, then," Lockhart said loudly. "Let's see what you make of them!" And he opened the cage.

Things then became hectic. The pixies shot in every direction like rockets. Two of them seized Neville by the ears and lifted him into the air, ignoring his cries.

Several shot straight through the window, showering the back row with broken glass. The rest proceeded to wreck the classroom more effectively than a rampaging rhino. They grabbed ink bottles and sprayed the class with them, shredded books and papers, tore pictures from the walls, up-ended the waste basket, grabbed bags and books and threw them out of the smashed window; within minutes, half the class was sheltering under desks and Neville was swinging from the iron chandelier in the ceiling.

"Come on now — round them up, round them up, they're only pixies," Lockhart shouted. Some of the students were waaving their hands protecting themselves or trying to hit them with their books. Lockhart rolled up his sleeves, brandished his wand, and bellowed, "Peskipiksi Pesternomi!" Josh popped up from his desk when he heard that so called spell. That was no kind of spell he ever heard.

Yet, It had absolutely no effect; one of the pixies seized Lockhart's wand and threw it out of the window, too. Lockhart gulped and dived under his own desk to avoid more pixies.

The bell rang and there was a mad rush toward the exit. In the relative calm that followed, Lockhart straightened up, caught sight of Harry, Ron, Josh and Hermione, who were almost at the door, and said, "Well, I'll ask you four to just nip the rest of them back into their cage." He swept past them and shut the door quickly behind him.

"Can you believe him?" roared Ron as one of the remaining pixies bit him painfully on the ear. "Arg!"

"He just wants to give us some hands-on experience," said Hermione, immobilizing two pixies at once with a clever Freezing Charm and stuffing them back into their cage.

"Hands on?" said Harry, who was trying to grab a pixie dancing out of reach with its tongue out. "Hermione, he didn't have a clue what he was doing—"

"Rubbish," said Hermione. "You've read his books—look at all those amazing things he's done—"

"He says he's done," Ron muttered.

"Who cares! He's an idiot and a fraud!" Josh shouted and pointed his wand in the air towards the pixies. "_Immobulus Maxima!"_ he shouted causing all pixies to freeze in motion. "There, let's get out of here," he said as he grabbed his things. Harry and Ron did the same.

"What about the pixies?" Hermione asked.

"Who cares," Ron said and left the room. Harry shrugged and then followed Ron out. Hermione then looked at Josh desperately.

Josh groaned and sighed. "Fine," he said as he then helped Hermione throw the pixies back into their cage.


	4. Their Only Plan

Chapter 4: Their Only Plan

The next morning, Josh, Ron, and Hermione trudged towards the Quiiditch pitch as Gryffindor was practicing this morning. Harry and his team had left earlier while they were asleep, but luckily Josh knew where they were as Wood's voice had woken him up that morning. The entered the Stands and found some seats. Josh and Ron began talking Quidditch while Hermione had brought one of Lockhart's books to read.

"I think the Cannons might have a chance this year," Ron said just as the Gryffindor team came out of the locker rooms to finally get into the sky to practice. Josh looked down on the field to see that mousy boy again with his camera taking pictures again.

"Ron, who's that?" Josh asked pointing at the camera boy.

"That's Colin Creevey, first year Gryffindor," Ron answered. "He's a big fan of Harry just like Ginny." Josh nodded now understanding Ron's comment about the Harry Potter fan club yesterday.

"Uh oh," Hermione said as she was looking up.

"What is it?" Josh asked and Hermione pointed.

"Slytherin," she answered and sure enough, the Slytherin team was walking onto the field.

"I smell trouble," Ron said as the three then ran onto the field to see whats up.

"I don't believe it!" Josh heard Wood hissed in outrage as they got closer. "I booked the field for today! We'll see about this!" Wood shot toward the ground, landing rather harder than he meant to in his anger, staggering slightly as he dismounted. Harry, Fred, and George followed. "Flint!" Wood bellowed at the Slytherin Captain. "This is our practice time! We got up specially! You can clear off now!"

Marcus Flint was even larger than Wood. He had a look of trollish cunning on his face as he replied, "Plenty of room for all of us, Wood."

Angelina, Alicia, and Katie had come over, too. There were no girls on the Slytherin team, who stood shoulder to shoulder, facing the Gryffindors, leering to a man.

"But I booked the field!" said Wood, positively spitting with rage. "I booked it!"

"Ah," said Flint. "But I've got a specially signed note here from Professor Snape. 'I, Professor S. Snape, give the Slytherin team permission to practice today on the Quidditch field owing to the need to train their new Seeker'. "

"You've got a new Seeker?" said Wood, distracted. "Where?"

And from behind the six large figures before them came a seventh, smaller boy, smirking all over his pale, pointed face. It was Draco Malfoy.

"Aren't you Lucius Malfoy's son?" said Fred, looking at Malfoy with dislike.

"Funny you should mention Draco's father," said Flint as the whole Slytherin team smiled still more broadly. "Let me show you the generous gift he's made to the Slytherin team."

All seven of them held out their broomsticks. Seven highly polished, brand-new handles and seven sets of fine gold lettering spelling the words Nimbus Two Thousand and One gleamed under the Gryffindors' noses in the early morning sun.

"Very latest model. Only came out last month," said Flint carelessly, flicking a speck of dust from the end of his own. "I believe it outstrips the old Two Thousand series by a considerable amount. As for the old Cleansweeps"—he smiled nastily at Fred and George, who were both clutching Cleansweep Fives—" sweeps the board with them."

None of the Gryffindor team could think of anything to say for a moment. Malfoy was smirking so broadly his cold eyes were reduced to slits.

"Oh, look," said Flint. "A field invasion."

Ron, Hermione, and Josh were crossing the grass to see what was going on. Josh did sense that there might be a little trouble.

"What's happening?" Ron asked Harry. "Why aren't you playing? And what's he doing here?"

He was looking at Malfoy, taking in his Slytherin Quidditch robes.

"I'm the new Slytherin Seeker, Weasley," said Malfoy, smugly. "Everyone's just been admiring the brooms my father's bought our team."

Ron gaped, open-mouthed, at the seven superb broomsticks in front of them. Josh stared at the brooms as it seemed that that was the only way Malfoy could get onto a Quidditch team.

"Good, aren't they?" said Malfoy smoothly. "But perhaps the Gryffindor team will be able to raise some gold and get new brooms, too. You could raffle off those Cleansweep Fives; I expect a museum would bid for them."

The Slytherin team howled with laughter.

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in," said Hermione sharply. "They got in on pure talent."

The smug look on Malfoy's face flickered.

"No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood," he spat.

Just then, Josh was filled with seering anger. Flint had to dive in front of Malfoy to stop Fred and George jumping on him, Alicia shrieked, "How dare you!"

Ron plunged his hand into his robes, pulled out his wand, yelling, "You'll pay for that one, Malfoy!" and pointed it furiously under Flint's arm at Malfoys face.

A loud bang echoed around the stadium and a jet of green light shot out of the wrong end of Ron's wand, hitting him in the stomach and sending him reeling backward onto the grass.

"Ron! Ron! Are you all right?" squealed Hermione. Josh wasn't paying attention as he stared at Malfoy.

Ron opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Instead he gave an almighty belch and several slugs dribbled out of his mouth onto his lap.

The Slytherin team were paralysed with laughter. Flint was doubled up, hanging onto his new broomstick for support. Malfoy was on all fours, banging the ground with his fist. The Gryffindors were gathered around Ron, who kept belching large, glistening slugs, except for Josh. Nobody seemed to want to touch him. Malfoy stood back up and was about to say something until he was thrown to the ground.

Eveyone's heads turned towards Malfoy and saw Josh leaning over him, fists clenched and a bruise began to appear on Malfoy's face. Josh had just punched Malfoy in his jaw.

"You'll pay for that, Anderson!" Malfoy said as he glared at Josh from the ground. Josh only stared back as Hermione came over and gabbed his arm to pull him away.

"We'd better get him to Hagrid's, it's nearest," said Harry to Josh and Hermione, who nodded, and the pair of them pulled Ron up by the arms then began to head off to Hagrid's just as Ron threw up a nother slug.

"Wow! Can you turn him around, Harry?" Colin said excitedly as his camera flashed.

"No, Colin, get out of the way!" Harry growled, pushing the younger Gryffindor out of the way.

Harry, Josh, and Hermione quickly hurried Ron to Hagrids.

"This calls for a specialist's equipment," Hagrid said, bring over a bucket and plopping it down in front of Ron when they have arrived at his Hut. "Nothin' to do but wait'll it stops, I'm afraid," Another slug. "Better out than in," Hagrid sighed. "Who's Ron tryin' to curse, anyway?"

"Malfoy," Harry told him. Hagrid nodded as he didn't seem to need anymore information. Being Malfoy was enough of an explanation. Josh was staring out the window thinking about that nasty word. Why would somone use that word. It's very horrible word to use. Malfoy gives the Slytherins a bad name. His mother or grandparents weren't even that bad.

"He called Hermione… um, well, I don't- I don't know exactly what it means," Harry continued, glancing over at Hermione who looked like she still wanted to cry. She stood up and moved off and away from us, crossing her arm as Josh saw her shoulders shake.

"He called me a Mudblood," she said. He glanced at Ron who was still puking slugs.

"He did not!" Hagrid exclaimed with his mouth agape.

"What's a Mudblood?" Harry asked.

"It means 'dirty blood,'," Hermione said, whipping around to glare at all of them. "Mudblood's a really foul name for someone who is Muggle-born. Someone with non-magic parents. Someone like me," she said sitting back down beside Ron.

"It's not a word someone usually hears in civilized conversation," Josh commented out of no where.

"See, Harry, there're some wizards, like the Malfoy family, who think they're better'n everyone else because they're what people call pure-blood," Hagrid explained.

"That's horrible!" Harry exclaimed.

Another slug. "It's disgusting," Ron said with a green face.

"And it's codswallop, to boot," Hagrid added.

Josh looked out the window again. Purebloods. They always think they're better than anyone who is not a pureblood, well most of them. His family wasn't like that. They were a neutral family, and have always been just like the Greengrass family, from what Daphne told him last year. That reminded him that he had to tell his friends about Daphne. He looked back towards his friends and decided now was not the right moment.

"'Dirty blood' Why, there isn't a wizard alive today that's not half blood or less," Hagrid exclaimed. "More ter the point, they've yet to think of a spell that our Hermione can' do. Come here…" Hagrid sighed, taking Hermione's hands as she walked toward him. "Don't you think on it, Hermione. Don't you think on it for one minute… eh?" Hermione smiled in the thanks at the half giant.

* * *

><p>A couple months passed with nothing too interesting at Hogwarts School Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was now October, Halloween day. Josh had left the Great Hall early. He didn't feel too well for some reason and began walking around the first floor. He was looking at a suit of armor when he heard his name called.<p>

"Josh!"

He slowly turned his head and saw Daphne walking up to him with her hands in his pocket. "Hey, Daphne," He greeted with a lazy smile. "What's up?"

"Hey," Daphne greeted as she reached Josh. "I heard about Ron and you."

"About what?" Josh asked as he continued to walk towards the stair case with Daphne walking by his side.

"About how Ron tried to hex Malfoy, but it backfired, and then how you went on and punched him in the face," Daphne said with a smirk. Josh nodded.

"Yeah, he called Hermione a mudblood," he said causing Daphne to gasp. "I can't stand that word. My cousin uses it a lot, and i'm glad he doesn't go here, and goes to Durmstrang."

"So your mom isn't an only child?" Daphne asked.

"No, unfortunately, she's not," Josh replied. "I have an estranged Uncle who's more like Malfoy's father." Daphne nodded. "You know all that happened like a month ago, right?" Daphne sighed and shrugged, and when Josh was about to continue, he heard something that made him stop. It was a voice, a voice to chill the bone marrow, a voice of breathtaking, ice-cold venom.

_"__Come…come to me…Let me rip you...Let me tear you...Let me kill you…"_

"What?" Josh asked as he looked around.

"What?" Daphne said as she looked at Josh strangely. "What is it?"

"That voice!" he exclaimed frantically. "Didn't you hear it!"

"I'm sorry?" Daphne said. "What voice?"

"That voice that said...didn't you hear it!" Josh asked as his breathing quicking as he frantically began looking around.

"Are you okay?" Daphne asked him worriedly, but Josh didn't answer as he then closer towards the stairs, and she followed him. "Josh, you're scaring me." she said as they reached the bottom of the stairs.

And then, Josh heard it again. _"...rip...tear...kill..." _It was the same voice once again, same cold, murderous voice he had just heard. Josh stumbled to a halt, clutching at the stone wall, listening with all his might, looking around, squinting up and down the dimly lit passageway.

"Josh, what're you..."

"Shh!" Josh shushed Daphne. "It's that voice again, be quiet for a minute..."

"_...sooo hungry...for so long..."_

"Listen!" Josh said urgently. Daphne froze, watching him, and apprently not hearing anything.

"_...kill...time to kill..."_

The voice was growing fainter. Josh was sure it was moving away, moving somewhere. A mixture of fear and excitement gripped him as he stared down the dimly lit corridor and then looked up towards the ceiling; where was it at? Was it a phantom or something that couldn't be seen by the naked eye.

"This way!" Josh shouted and he began to run up the stairs, towards the second floor.

"Josh, what're we..."

"Shh!" Josh shushed Daphne who was following him. Josh strained his ears, distantly, towards the floor they were nearing, and growing fainter still, he heard the voice. "..._I smell blood...I SMELL BLOOD!"_

His stomach lurch. "It's going to kill somone!" he shouted and ignoring Daphne's bewildered face, he ran up the remaining step and tried to listen over his own pounding footsteps. Josh hurtled arond the whole second floor, not stopping until they turned the corner where they ran into Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"Harry? Ron, Hermione," Josh said looking at the others with concern, Daphne trying to hide behind Josh, but failing miserably.

"Josh?" said Harry as he then looked behind Josh. "And...who are you?"

"Daphne Greengrass," Hermione answered for her. "What are you doing with her!" she asked Josh who didn't want to get into it right now.

"Why are you hanging around that snake?' Ron asked heatedly. "You know their all death eaters waiting to happen." Daphne looked away with a tiny blush, apparently telling Josh's friends that him and Daphne were friends would be a bad idea. She looked away when something caught her eye.

"Look!" She shouted, gaining everyone's attention as she was pointing at something that was shining on the wall ahead. They approached slowly, squinting through the darkness. Foot-high words had been daubed on the wall between two windows, shimmering in the light cast by the flaming torches.

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN  
>OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.<p>

Josh stepped forwards hearing something under his footing, and when he looked, he saw water all over the floor.

"_'The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies the heir beware_,'" Hermione read. "It's written in blood."

"Oh, no… It's Filch's cat. It's Mrs. Norris," Harry said, drawing all of their attention to the cat, hanging by it's tail next to the message. Josh and Harry both moved closer and sure enough, it was exactly Mrs. Norris.

And then, a huge group of Gryffindors, probably coming from dinner, appeared from one side of the corridor, and Then, from the other way came a group of Slytherins.

"'_Enemies of the heir beware_?" Draco exclaimed from the group of Slytherins before eyeing Hermione. "You'll be next, Mudbloods!" Josh turn to look at Malfoy thinking about giving him a black eye this time. He was about to step forward until he heard voice.

"What's going on 'ere?" Filch yelled, as he made it through the crowd. "Go on, make way, make way. Potter, what are you… Mrs. Norris?" he gasped as he saw his cat, and then glared daggers down at Harry. "You've- murdered my cat," he growled. Josh and his friends were all surprised at his accusation. Harry couldn't have done it, He had arrived here the same time as Josh.

"No. No," Harry stuttered out shaking his head and trying to step back.

"I'll kill ya… _I'll kill ya_!" Filch screamed, grabbing Harry by the front of his shirt.

"Argus!"

Dumbledore had arrived on the scene, followed by a number of other teachers. In seconds, he had swept past Harry, Ron, Hermione, Josh,and Daphne and detached Mrs. Norris from the torch bracket.

"Come with me, Argus," he said to Filch. "You, too, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, Mr. Anderson, and Miss Greengrass."

Lockhart stepped forward eagerly.

"My office is nearest, Headmaster—just upstairs—please feel free—"

"Thank you, Gilderoy," said Dumbledore.

The silent crowd parted to let them pass. Lockhart, looking excited and important, hurried after Dumbledore; so did Professors McGonagall and Snape.

As they entered Lockhart's darkened office there was a flurry of movement across the walls; Josh saw several of the Lockharts in the pictures dodging out of sight, their hair in rollers, and rolled his eyes at Lockhart's stupidity.

The real Lockhart lit the candles on his desk and stood back. Dumbledore lay Mrs. Norris on the polished surface and began to examine her. Harry, Ron, Josh and Hermione exchanged tense looks and sank into chairs outside the pool of candlelight, watching. Daphne sank into hers feeling like a black sheep and out of place of the four Gryffindors.

The tip of Dumbledore's long, crooked nose was barely an inch from Mrs. Norris's fur. He was looking at her closely through his half-moon spectacles, his long fingers gently prodding and poking. Professor McGonagall was bent almost as close, her eyes narrowed. Snape loomed behind them, half in shadow, wearing a most peculiar expression: It was as though he was trying hard not to smile. And Lockhart was hovering around all of them, making suggestions.

"It was definitely a curse that killed her—probably the Transmogrifian Torture—I've seen it used many times, so unlucky I wasn't there, I know the very countercurse that would have saved her…" Lockhart said. Josh face-palmed himself. There was no such thing, was there? Even if it was, there should be a better name then the transmogrifian torture.

Josh turned to look at Filch who was letting out dry, racking sobs. He was slumped in a chair by the desk, unable to look at Mrs. Norris, his face in his hands. Much as they detested Filch, Josh couldn't help feeling a bit sorry for him. If Dumbledore believed Filch, Harry would be expelled for sure.

Dumbledore was now muttering strange words under his breath and tapping Mrs. Norris with his wand but nothing happened. She continued to look as though she had been recently stuffed.

"…I remember something very similar happening in Ouagadougou," said Lockhart, "a series of attacks, the full story's in my autobiography, I was able to provide the townsfolk with various amulets, which cleared the matter up at once…" Josh grimaced and stared at Lockhart in disgust. He would love to give Lockhart his swift kick to his bottom right now, just to shut him up.

At last Dumbledore straightened up. "She's not dead, Argus," he said softly.

Lockhart stopped abruptly in the middle of counting the number of murders he had prevented. Josh and Harry shared a look. If not dead, then what? They soon got their answer.

"Not dead?" choked Filch, looking through his fingers at Mrs. Norris. "But why's she all—all stiff and frozen?"

"She has been Petrified," said Dumbledore ("Ah! I thought so!" said Lockhart). "But how, I cannot say…"

"Ask them!" shrieked Filch, turning his blotched and tearstained face to Harry and Josh who held their breaths.

"No second year could have done this," said Dumbledore firmly as Harry and Josh released their breaths. "It would take Dark Magic of the most advanced—"

"They did it, they did it!" Filch spat, his pouchy face purpling. "You saw what they wrote on the wall! They found—in my office—they know I'm a—I'm a—" Filch's face worked horribly. "They know I'm a Squib!" he finished. Josh looked confused. He didn't know that. He turned to see Harry, Ron, and Hermione wide eyed.

"We never touched Mrs. Norris!" Harry said loudly. "And we don't even know what a Squib is," He added.

"Rubbish!" snarled Filch. "They saw my Kwikspell letter!"

"If I might speak, Headmaster," said Snape from the shadows, and Josh's sense of foreboding increased; he was sure nothing Snape had to say was going to do him and his friends any good.

"Potter and his friends may have simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time," he said, a slight sneer curling his mouth as though he doubted it. "But we do have a set of suspicious circumstances here. Why was he in the upstairs corridor at all? Why wasn't he at the Halloween feast?"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione all launched into an explanation about the deathday party. Josh new about the party, but he didn't want to really got to it. He knew how horrible it was going to be. "…there were hundreds of ghosts, they'll tell you we were there—"

"But why not join the feast afterward?" said Snape, his black eyes glittering in the candlelight. "Why go up to that corridor?"

Ron and Hermione looked at Harry.

"Because—because —" Harry said, his breathing quickening. "because we were tired and wanted to go to bed," he said.

"Without any supper?" said Snape, a triumphant smile flickering across his gaunt face. "I didn't think ghosts provided food fit for living people at their parties."

"We weren't hungry," said Ron loudly as his stomach gave a huge rumble.

Snape's nasty smile widened and then turned towards Josh and Daphne. "What about you two?" he asked.

"Well, I wasn't feeling too well, so i left early," Josh told which happened to be the truth and then he found the writing and the cat, and not to mention that the voices led him there.

"And I wanted to see if he was okay," Daphne said, causing everyone but Josh and Dumbledore to look at her strangely. Josh already knew what they were thinking. Why would a Slytherin want to see if a Gryffindor was doing okay, but it didn't matter, because to Snape shook his head and then looked at Dumbledore.

"I suggest, Headmaster, that Potter is not being entirely truthful," he said. "It might be a good idea if he were deprived of certain privileges until he is ready to tell us the whole story. I personally feel he should be taken off the Gryffindor Quidditch team until he is ready to be honest."

"Really, Severus," said Professor McGonagall sharply. "I see no reason to stop the boy playing Quidditch. This cat wasn't hit over the head with a broomstick. There is no evidence at all that Potter has done anything wrong." Josh looked over at Harry who looked really nervous.

"Innocent until proven guilty, Severus," Dumbledore said firmly, causing all of the twelve year olds to sigh in relief. Snape looked furious. So did Filch.

"My cat has been Petrified!" he shrieked, his eyes popping. "I want to see some punishment!"

"We will be able to cure her, Argus," said Dumbledore patiently. "Professor Sprout recently managed to procure some Mandrakes. As soon as they have reached their full size, I will have a potion made that will revive Mrs. Norris."

"I'll make it," Lockhart butted in. "I must have done it a hundred times. I could whip up a Mandrake Restorative Draught in my sleep—" Josh, Harry, and Ron rolled their eyes.

"Excuse me," said Snape icily. "But I believe I am the Potions master at this school."

"You may go," Dumbledore said to Harry, Ron, Hermione, Josh, and Daphne.

They went, as quickly as they could without actually running. They were a floor up from Lockhart's office, Daphne wasn't sure why she was following the Gryffindors. The arrived at an empty classroom, where Hermione opened the door. Harry and Ron walked in and then Hermione turned towards Josh and Daphne.

"Oh, well, no thanks. We're going to pass," Josh said as him and Daphne passed Hermione, but then the two were grabbed by their arms and pulled into the room. Hermione shut the door and walked over towards Harry and Ron who all stared at Daphne and Josh. Josh stared back while Daphne looked at the ground.

"So, Josh, do you have something to tell us?" Hermione asked as her, Harry, and Ron looked at Josh expectantly. Josh looked at Daphne who seemed shy and quiet.

"Guys, this is my good friend, Daphne," Josh answered with a sigh. Daphne gave a wave without looking at the other Gryffindors.

"Good friend?" Ron and Hermione said hotly and in unison. Josh nodded and sighed.

"Yes, we've been friends since I encountered her in the library first year," Josh said.

"You do know that this girl is a Slytherin!" Ron said.

"Yes, Ron, I'm aware of that," Josh said tiredly.

"But, but, she's a snake, and a bad egg," Ron argued. "You know There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin."

"Says who Ron!" Josh asked now getting angry.

"Says History!" Ron nearly yelled. Harry, Hermione, and Daphne looked on shocked at the now two fighting friends. "She could only be being friends with you just to get close to Harry so she could take him out, like her parents ordered her to!"

"That's so stupid Ron!" Josh shouted with clenched fists. "Why would she do that! She's my friend!"

"Because she's cunning, smart, ambitious! She could trick and manipulate you with you not even knowing it!" Ron said. "Believe me when i say, but all Slytherins are bad, waiting for their master to come back so they could join them. Not one has a good heart in them!"

"MY MUM DOES!" Josh shouted as loud as he could, and then everything was silent as everyone stared at Josh. Ron stood with his mouth agape. "Yeah, Ron, my mother was in Slytherin, and so were my Grandparents, and then my great grandparents and so on! Now why don't you tell me why a Slytherin's son was put into Gryffindor!" Ron's mouth moved up and down, having no idea how to answer that question. Josh turned and walked towards the door and opened it, then turned back towards Ron. "We're through, Ron, and never ever insult Daphne, her parents, or my mother or my family ever again!" he finished and then slammed the door shut.

Josh was about a few feet away when the door opened and shut again. "Josh, wait!" He heard Daphne's voice called and heard her foot steps. Daphne showed up next to Josh who was seething in anger. "D'you think you should have told your friends or at least Professor Dumbledore about that voice you heard?" She asked.

"No," said Josh, without hesitation and exhaling a long breathe to get himself to calm down. "Hearing voices no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the wizarding world."

"I know," Daphne said with her head bowed. "You should still tell someone, but you know, this whole thing's weird. What was that writing on the wall about? The Chamber Has Been Opened… What's that supposed to mean?"

"It rings a sort of bell," Josh said slowly. "I think someone told me a story about a secret chamber at Hogwarts once, having to do with Salazar Slytherin...might've been my grandfather." Daphne glanced at Josh who glanced back and then continued walking.

* * *

><p>For a few days, the school could talk of little else but the attack on Mrs. Norris. Filch kept it fresh in everyone's minds by pacing the spot where she had been attacked, as though he thought the attacker might come back. Josh had seen him scrubbing the message on the wall with Mrs. Skower's All-Purpose Magical Mess Remover, but to no effect; the words still gleamed as brightly as ever on the stone.<p>

When Filch wasn't guarding the scene of the crime, he was skulking red-eyed through the corridors, lunging out at unsuspecting students and trying to put them in detention for things like "breathing loudly' and "looking happy."

The attack had had an effect on Daphne, or so it seemed to Josh. It was quite usual for the her to spend a lot of time reading, but she was now doing almost nothing else. Josh was with her in the library trying to figure out this Chamber of Secrets. Neville was with them as well, but doing homework. When Josh told him about Daphne, he didn't care that she was a Slytherin, after spending time with her, she kind of grew on him. Tracey Davis, Daphne's best friend, was also with them. She didn't mind either that Neville or Josh were Gryffindors. She actually liked them.

Since the library was pretty packed with students, and with Josh's annoyance, Him, Neville, Tracey, and Daphne had to sit a table away from Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Josh tried to ignore them, but they sort of talked a little too loud.

"All the copies of Hogwarts, A History have been taken out," Josh heard Hermione say, He looked over to see her sit down next to Harry and Ron. "And there's a two-week waiting list. I wish I hadn't left my copy at home, but I couldn't fit it in my trunk with all the Lockhart books." Josh looked down at the book he was reading, which happened to be Hogwarts, A History, and smirked to himself. He knew the reason she wanted it was to read up on the Chamber of Secrets like everyone else.

The bell rang. The group of four gathered their things and left towards Transfiguration class. Lucky, they all had it together. Josh entered first and sat in the back. Neville sat next to him while Daphne and Tracey sat to their right. Seconds later, Josh saw his Harry, Hermione, and his former friend Ron enter the class. Hermione and Ron had been arguing about something, but Josh was to annoyed to not even care what it was.

"Could I have your attention, please?" Professor McGonagall called from the front of the classroom, next to the chalkborad with notes on it and started our new lesson in Transfiguration. All the students hushed and gave her their attention. "Right. Now, today, we will be transforming animals into water goblets." Josh rested his head on his hand. He wished he could turn Ron into a water goblet.

"Like so," Professor McGonagall continued, turning to the bird sitting on her desk and she pointed her wand at it. "One, two, three, _Vera verto._" Instantly, the bird shrunk and turned into a beautiful shinning goblet with gems on the sides. "Now it's your turn. Well, who would like to go first?" Professor McGonagall smiled, looking around the room until her eyes fell on Ron. "Ah! Mr. Weasley. 'One, two, three. Vera verto,'," she instructed.

Ron cleared his throat and pointed his wand as Scabbers, tapping his wand against him three times before saying; "_Vera verto!_" A spark flew out from where Ron's wand that was broken, and turned Scabbers into a goblet… or more so, a furry one with a tail that squeaked. Josh snorted into laughter, but then turned into coughing earning him a strange look from Neville.

"That wand needs replacing, Mr. Weasley," she said turning to go back to her desk when Hermione raised her hand. "Yes, Miss Granger?"

"Professor, I was wondering if you could tell us about the- the Chamber of Secrets?" Silence descended over the room as we all waited for Professor McGonagall to speak.

"Very well," she sighed. "Well, you all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. Now, three of the founders coexisted quite harmoniously. One did not-"

"Three guesses who," Ron whispered loudly making Josh roll his eyes.

"Salazar Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. In other words, 'pure-bloods,' Unable to sway the others, he decided to leave the school. Now, according to legend, Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in this castle, known as the Chamber of Secrets. Though, shortly before departing, he sealed it until that time when his own true heir returned to the school. The heir alone would be able to open the Chamber and unleash the horror within, and by so doing purge the school of all those who, in Slytherin's view, were unworthy to study magic."

"Muggle-borns," Hermione added.

"Well, naturally, the school had been searched many times. No such chamber has been found," McGonagall finished.

"Professor?" Hermione asked, causing the professor to turn and look at her. "What exactly does legend tell us lies within the Chamber?"

"Well, the Chamber is said to home to something that only the Heir of Slytherin can control… It is said to be the home of a monster." Josh and Neville shared a glance wondering what kind of monster could it be.

After class, Josh, Neville, Tracey, and Daphne were walking through the corridor behind Malfoy and his cronies.

"D'you think it's true? D'you think there really is a Chamber of Secrets?" Neville asked as the four walked down the halls.

"Yes. Could you not tell? McGonagall's worried. All the teachers are," Daphne answered as she hugged her books closer to her chest.

"Well, if there really is a Chamber of Secrets," Josh began waving his arms around. "And it really was opened before, then that could mean that the Heir of Slytherin has returned to Hogwarts. And most important question is, who is The Heir of Slytherin?"

"Let's think," Tracey bit out sarcastically as Draco walked in front of them. "Who do we know who thinks all Muggle-borns are beneath them?"

"If you're talking about Malfoy-" Neville began slowly. Josh stared ahead at Malfoy. It could be possible that it was Malfoy but Josh didn't think so.

"Of course. You heard him! 'You'll be next Mudbloods,'," Daphne quoted from that night they discovered Mrs. Norris and the writing on the wall.

"We heard him. But Malfoy, the Heir of Slytherin?" Josh asked his friends, letting out his thoughts.

"Well, maybe Daphne's right, Josh. I mean, look at his family. The whole lot of them have been in Slytherin for centuries; he's always boasting about it. They could easily be Slytherin's descendants. His father's definitely evil enough," Neville said. He did know a lot about the Malfoys thanks to his Gran.

"But if it was Draco, he wouldn't be keeping it to himself. He'd be blabbing to someone about it," Josh said knowing that bragging bum.

"Crabbe and Goyle must know," Tracey said suddenly. "Maybe we could trick them into telling." she said with a mischievious smile that could put the Weasley twins mischievious smiles to shame.

"Even they aren't that thick," Daphne sighed and then a light bulb went off in her head. "But there might be another way," she said, drawing all of our attention to her as she stopped, looking at us uncomfortably. "Me and Tracey could, like go on a fake date with them and get them to tell us." Tracey grimaced in disgust causing Josh and Neville to chuckle. "And we could brew some truth telling potion and get them to spill it."

"Time out!" Josh said gaining everyone's attention. "That potion is very difficult to make, especially for a few second years, no offense Neville." Neville shrugged.

"None taken," he said. He knew when to admit what he was bad at to his friends.

"I say we do it!" Tracey said. "Just for the fun of it. I would like to know Crabbe and Goyle's secrets." Josh and Neville exchanged a glance.

"Mind you, it would be difficult. Not to mention, we would be breaking about fifty school rules. And, it'll be dangerous… very dangerous," Daphne spoke up and her, Tracey, and Neville looked at Josh for confirmation.

"Alright, let's do it." He said with a smirk. This was going to be a piece of cake. "What's this potion called again?"

"Veritaserum," Daphne and Tracey answered in unison. "But getting hold of the recipe will be very difficult. Snape said it was in a book called Most Potente Potions and it's bound to be in the Restricted Section of the library." Daphne continued.

"But, There's only one way to get that book out of the Restricted Section," Neville said. "You needed a signed note of permission from a teacher."

"Hard to see why we'd want the book, really," Josh said while trying to think of something. "if we weren't going to try and make one of the potions."

"I think," said Daphne, "that if we made it sound as though we were just interested in the theory, we might stand a chance…" Everyone then began to think on how to do it when someone spoke.

"Oh, come on, no teacher's going to fall for that," said Tracey. "They'd have to be really thick…" And then, the light bulb went off in Josh's head.

An hour later, Neville and Josh were waiting outside the Defense Against the Dart Art classroom. They were waiting on Daphne and Tracey who were suppose to get a permission slip from the git, Lockhart.

"Josh?" Neville called. Josh turned to look at him questioningly. "Why did you stop hanging out with Ron, Harry, and Hermione?"

"Cause of Ron," Josh answered, and before he could elaborate, Tracey and Daphne exited the classroom with smirks upon their faces.

"We did it!" Daphne said waving the slip in front of Josh's face. Josh smirked and tried to grab it, but Daphne pulled it away.

"Good, let's go," Josh said and when they turned, they saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione, standing behind them. "Harry, Hermione," Josh greeted them and not Ron who was not even looking at Josh.

"Josh," Harry said. "What are you guys doing?"

"Oh nothing, just hanging out," Josh lied and his friends nodded. "You?"

"Same," Harry replied and to Josh, it seemed he was not telling the full truth, and Josh didn't even know how he could tell.

"Cool," Josh said. "Well, we gotta go." And then left with his friends and headed off towards the library.

"Here it is," Daphne announced, coming back to the group who were talking about other things, reading from Moste Potente Potions. "_'The Veritaserum Potion, properly brewed, is a powerful truth serum that is most commonly used in interrogation. The potion effectively forces the drinker to answer any questions put to them truthfully, though there are some methods of resistance.'"_

"Do you mean, if Crabbe and Goyle drink that stuff, then they'll tell us anything we want to know?" Neville asked, looking a little too excited. Josh was getting excited too. This was like pulling a prank, but they were doing it to get some information about this heir of Slytherin.

"Yes," Tracey answered shortly.

"Wicked!" Neville smiled.

"Exactly," Daphne nodded before looking back down at the book. "But it's tricky. I've never seen a more complicated potion," she sighed as she looked down at the instructions. Josh and the others looked over her shoulder

"Well, how long will it take to make?" Josh asked her. Daphne looked back at him worriedly.

"A month," she answered.

"A month?" Josh bit out. "But- if Malfoy is the stinkin' Slytherin Heir, he could attack half the Muggle-borns in the school by then!" he nearly shouted. Tracey and Neville looked at Daphne nervously.

"I know," Daphne sighed. "But it's the only plan we've got."

* * *

><p>AN This is turning out to be a really short story. Strange!


	5. Nothing

Chapter 5: Nothing

Since the disastrous episode of the pixies, Professor Lockhart had not brought live creatures to class. Instead, he read passages from his books to them, and sometimes re-enacted some of the more dramatic bits. He usually picked Harry to help him with these reconstructions much to some of the class's amusement; so far, Josh had witnessed Harry be forced to play a simple Transylvanian villager whom Lockhart had cured of a Babbling Curse and a yeti with a head cold, and a vampire who had been unable to eat anything except lettuce since Lockhart had dealt with him.

Harry was hauled to the front of the class during their very next Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson, this time acting a werewolf. Even though the class wasn't even taught, but it did keep Josh laughing.

"Nice loud howl, Harry — exactly — and then, if you'll believe it, I pounced — like this — slammed him to the floor — thus with one hand, I managed to hold him down — with my other, I put my wand to his throat — I then screwed up my remaining strength and performed the immensely complex Homorphus Charm - he let out a piteous moan — go on, Harry — higher than that — good — the fur vanished — the fangs shrank — and he turned back into a man. Simple, yet effective — and another village will remember me forever as the hero who delivered them from the monthly terror of werewolf attacks." Josh facepalmed himself. This Lockhart was something.

The bell rang and Lockhart got to his feet.

"Homework — compose a poem about my defeat of the Wagga Wagga Werewolf! Signed copies of Magical Me to the author of the best one!" he said. Neville and Josh groaned. Why would they want to write a poem about that idiot git.

The class began to leave. Josh and Neville were leaving when Josh turned to see that Harry, Hermione, and Ron staying back for something. Not caring, Josh continued to leave.

"Quidditch tomorrow!" Neville said out of the blue with a happy expression.

"I totally forgot about that," Josh said. "I can't wait till some players drop, cause I'm going to try out for the team." he told Neville.

"What position would you be best at?" Neville asked.

"Chaser," Josh answered simply. The two continued to walk out of the Hall and up to Gryffindor Tower within minutes.

"Password?" the Fat Lady asked. Neville went wide eyed as he once again forgot the password.

"Wattlebird!" Josh said with a sigh then turned towards Neville and the two entered the common room, and then sat on the couch in front of the fire. "Why can't you remember the password, Nev? They're not that hard to remember."

"I don't know," Neville replied with a shrug. "I've just alway been forgetful. Since I was little."

"Were your parents forgetful?" Josh asked without looking at Neville and became depressed looking. "I mean, do they forget things as much as you, and your Gran keeps on reminding about things?" After a few moments of silence and no answer, Josh turned to see what was up with Neville. His head was bowed, with a depressed expression on his face making Josh realize something. "I'm sorry, Nev. I had no idea you're parents are dead." Josh told him quietly and feeling like a jerk. "I guess it makes sense now when you're always talking about your Gran."

"My parents aren't dead," Neville replied quietly.

"What?" Josh replied now very confused. "Did they leave you with your Gran and run away? Or something?"

"No," Neville said with a heavy sigh then turned to Josh. "My parents were tortured to insanity." Josh's eyes widened. Isanity? That's worse than death. Neville's parents are alive, but they were suffering, and they will for the rest of their life. And Neville will forever go on with his parents not even knowing who he really is to them.

"I'm sorry, Nev," Josh said with a heavy sigh.

"It's okay," He replied as he brought his head. "I'm proud to be called their son. They were only tortured to insaity because they wouldn't give out any information and they never said a word. And to me, that shows me what true loyalty is." he finished very wisely.

"Well, Professor Dumbledore, you are very wise," Josh joked as he threw his arm around Neville's shoulders and making him laugh. "Let's go get some dinner."

Josh awoke early on Saturday morning. He got up, dressed in regular clothes, and went down to breakfast early, where he found Hermione sitting away from the Gryffindor team who was huddled at the table, all looking uptight and not speaking much. Josh saw Harry looking the same as he made his way and sat across from Hermione.

"Morning," Josh greeted. Hermione looked up from the book was reading and saw Josh.

"Morning," she greeted stiffly and Josh noticed.

"Oh, so you hate me too, then?" He asked as he poured him some orange juice. He looked over to see Hermione shrug, then rolled his eyes at her. Josh stood up. "Yeah, I know when I'm not allowed." Josh barely took a step when Hermione spoke up.

"It's not that, Joshua," She said. Josh smirked then turned to face her straight faced and looked at her with his eyebrows raised questioningly. "But, why her? I mean, i don't care if she is in Slythern, but she's...she's..."

"Not like that," Josh said before Hermione could finish. "It's just a cover up, but she does have a rival against you Hermione, only because you're smart, smarter than her. And deep down, she wants to be as smart as you." He explained surprising Hermione and giving her a new perspective. Josh turned in time to see Neville walk in yawning with Ron following behind him. "Well, see ya," Josh waved goodbrey to Hermione than went to sit next to Neville.

As eleven o'clock approached, the whole school started to make its way down to the Quidditch stadium. It was a muggy sort of day with a hint of thunder in the air. Josh and Neville came hurrying over to wish Harry good luck as he entered the locker rooms, then made their way towards their seats. Tracey and Daphne, not wanting to cause any controversy, sat on the Slytherin side. And to Josh and Ron's disappointment, they were sitting closer to one another with only one person in between them, and that person was Hermione.

"Oh look, here they come!" Hermione said, pointing at the Gryffindor team that appeared out of the locker rooms.

As the Gryffindor Team walked out onto the pitch, a roar of noise greeted them; mainly cheers, because Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were anxious to see Slytherin beaten, but the Slytherins in the crowd made their boos and hisses heard, too. Madam Hooch, the Quidditch teacher, asked Flint and Wood to shake hands, which they did, giving each other threatening stares and gripping rather harder than was necessary.

"On my whistle," said Madam Hooch. "Three… two… one…"

With a roar from the crowd to speed them upward, the fourteen players rose toward the leaden sky. And the game began.

Josh watched the game with excitement, wanting Slytherin to lose, yet they had an extreme advantage with their Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones. That's when He noticed a bludger heading towards Harry who dodged it and the bludger was hit by George. Josh saw the Bludger fly in the direction of Adrian Pucey, but the Bludger changed direction in midair and shot straight for Harry again, surprising Josh. Harry dodged it again, and George smacked it around, yet the bludger came back flying towards Harry.

Josh watched as Harry put on a burst of speed and zoomed toward the other end of the pitch. He could see the Bludger soaring along behind him. What was going on? Bludgers never concentrated on one player like this; it was their job to try and unseat as many people as possible…He looked to see Fred Weasley waiting for the Bludger at the other end. Harry ducked as Fred swung at the Bludger with all his might; the Bludger was knocked off course. But it didn't work and went back towards Harry as though it was magnetically attracted to Harry, the Bludger pelted after him once more and Harry was forced to fly off at full speeed.

"Neville, do you see that?" Josh asked his friend.

"See what?" Neville asked cluelessly. Josh pointed him in the direction of the bludger chasing after Harry. "Why is that bludger following Harry?" he asked wide eyed, and Josh could only shrug with no answer.

It had started to rain; Josh felt heavy drops fall onto his face, splattering everwhere. He didn't have a clue what was going on in the rest of the game until he heard Lee Jordan, who was commentating, say, "Slytherin lead, sixty points to zero." Damn, Josh was right, Slytherin did have that major advantage, and only Harry was the one with the better broom on his team, and yet it still wasn't good enough.

Meanwhile the mad Bludger was doing all it could to knock Harry out of the air. Fred and George were now flying so close to him on either side that Harry could see nothing at all except their flailing arms and had no chance to look for the Snitch, let alone catch it.

"Someone's — tampered — with — that — Bludger —" Neville shouted out, pointing towards the bludger following Harry.

"I'll stop it," Ron growled, pulling out his spellotaped wand, making Josh toll his eyes.

"Don't even think about it, Ron," Josh shouted, speaking to Ron for the first time in a while. Ron looked back at Josh with annoyance all over his face. "Even with a proper wand it's too risky. You could hit Harry!" Josh explained. Minutes later, Gryffindor timed out and gathered in a huddle. Josh already knew what they were talking about; that rogue bludger and Harry. Seconds later, the team resumed to the skies.

The rain was falling more heavily now. On Madam Hooch's whistle, Josh saw Harry kick hard into the air and then saw that the Bludger behind him again. Higher and higher Harry climbed; he looped and swooped, spiralled, zigzagged, and rolled. Josh watched a the bludger had just missed his head by a couple of inches.

Josh then saw Malfoy who seemed to be taunting Harry, and that's when something caught his eye. It was the snitch, and it seemed as if Harry saw it too as he was now chasing after it. Josh watched as Harry and Malfoy both chased after the snitch. After a while of flying inbetween the field and the stands, Malfoy was flying in the air without his broom and landed on the Quidditch field.

And then, out of no where, Harry appeared still chasing the snitch. Josh saw Harry reach out and then his eyes widened in shock as the rogue bludger came out of no where and hit Harry in his arm, breaking it. And to Josh's surprise, Harry kept going, pulling his arm to his side and reaching out with his other until he lurched forward, spinning around his broomstick until he was hanging from it, skidding across the ground until he came to a stop. Josh saw him lift his arm with the snitch in hand.

"Yeah!" Josh celebrated as he then left the stands with Neville, Hermione, and Ron in tow. He quickly ran and saw Harry was still dodging the bludger and then pulled out his wand in a snap. "_Finite Incantatum!_" he shouted. His spell flew towards the bludger where it landed and blew the bludger to pieces. The team, and Harry's friends Ran towards Harry, with Gilderoy Lockhart running to Harry as well.

"Not to worry, Harry. I'm about to fix your arm." Lockhart said kneeling next to Harry.

"No, not you!" said Harry shaking his head. "I'll keep it like this, thanks…"

"Lie back, Harry," said Lockhart soothingly. "It's a simple charm I've used countless times —"

"He needs to just go to the hospital wing," Josh told the git of a professor.

"He should really, Professor," said a muddy Wood, who couldn't help grinning even though his Seeker was injured. "Great capture, Harry, really spectacular, your best yet, I'd say —"

"Stand back," said Lockhart, who was rolling up his jade-green sleeves. Josh's eyes widened and looked at his wand, thinking about using it on Lockhart before he did something stupid, but, he was too late.

"No — don't —" said Harry weakly, but Lockhart was twirling his wand and a second later had directed it straight at Harry's arm. Josh looked at Harry's arm. It was floppy and flexible like it didn't have any bones.

"Ah," said Lockhart as Harry stared at his boneless arm. "Yes. Well, that can sometimes happen. But the point is, the bones are no longer broken. That's the thing to bear in mind."

"Broken!" Josh shouted. "They're no bones left!" But it seemed as if Lockhart didn't hear him and continued to talk to Harry.

"So, Harry, just toddle up to the hospital wing — ah, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, Mr. Anderson, would you escort him? — and Madam Pomfrey will be able to — er — tidy you up a bit." he said and then quickly left.

Ron and Josh helped Harry to his feet, and when Josh looked at his arm, Josh couldn't help but laugh. "Why are you laughing?" Harry asked him as if he was crazy.

"Only you, Harry." Josh said causing Harry to smile and roll his eyes. Then they all headed to the Hospital Wing, and Madam Pomfrey wasn't at all pleased.

"You should have come straight to me!" she raged, holding up the sad, limp remainder of what, half an hour before, had been a working arm. "I can mend bones in a second — but growing them back —"

"You will be able to, won't you?" said Harry desperately. Josh stood at the end of Harry's bed, and Ron and Hermione on his left.

"I'll be able to, certainly, but it will be painful," said Madam Pomfrey grimly, throwing Harry a pair of pyjamas. "You'll have to stay the night…"

Hermione waited outside the curtain drawn around Harry's bed while Ron and Josh, while holding their tongues towards each other, helped him into his pyjamas. It took a while to stuff the rubbery, boneless arm into a sleeve.

"How can you stick up for Lockhart now, Hermione, eh?" Ron called through the curtain as he pulled Harry's limp fingers through the cuff. "If Harry had wanted deboning he would have asked."

"Anyone can make a mistake," said Hermione and Josh snorted loudly. "And it doesn't hurt anymore, does it, Harry?"

"No," said Harry, getting into bed. "But it doesn't do anything else either." As he swung himself onto the bed, his arm flapped pointlessly.

Hermione and Madam Pomfrey came around the curtain. Madam Pomfrey was holding a large bottle of something labelled Skele-Gro.

"You're in for a rough night," she said, pouring out a steaming beakerful and handing it to him. "Regrowing bones is a nasty business." Harry drank the potion grimacing at its nasty taste.

Still tut-tutting about dangerous sports and inept teachers, Madam Pomfrey retreated, leaving Ron, Josh, and Hermione to help Harry gulp down some water. "We won, though," said Ron, a grin breaking across his face. "That was some catch you made. Malfoy's face… he looked ready to kill…"

"I want to know how he fixed that Bludger," said Hermione darkly causing Josh to wonder who as well.

"We can add that to the list of questions we'll ask him when we've taken the Polyjuice Potion," said Harry, sinking back onto his pillows, surprising Josh as he then pieced something together just like that. The other three didn't even notice what they had said with Josh there in the room. "I hope it tastes better than this stuff…"

"If it's got bits of Slytherins in it? You've got to be joking," said Ron causing Josh to grind his teeth in anger.

"He didn't fix that Bludger if that's what you're thinking," Josh said without thinking. As Harry, Ron and Hermione stared at him, he added "Malfoy's not smart enough to do that, not at least most students here."

"Defending Malfoy, are you?" Ron said sneering at Josh who glared back.

"I'm not defending him," Josh growled. "I'm merely stating that you're suggestion of Malfoy being smart enough to create a rogue bludger is stupid and wrong. Not to mention, Hooch keeps those game balls locked up, and the only person who could get to them would have to have strong magic like a house elf."

Before Ron and Josh could argue some more, the door of the hospital wing burst open at that moment. Filthy and soaking wet, the rest of the Gryffindor team had arrived to see Harry.

"Unbelievable flying, Harry," said George. "I've just seen Marcus Flint yelling at Malfoy. Something about having the Snitch on top of his head and not noticing. Malfoy didn't seem too happy." They had brought cakes, sweets, and bottles of pumpkin juice; they gathered around Harry's bed and were just getting started on what promised to be a good party when Madam Pomfrey came storming over, shouting, "This boy needs rest, he's got thirty-three bones to regrow! Out! OUT!" And all his friends were rushed out.

Meanwhile, Josh was in the common room, where a party was raging on, when a letter had been delivered to him. Josh looked it over to see it was from his Grandfather. Josh stood up in surprise, and went to go find Neville who was rummaging around the Dorms, under his bed.

"Neville!" Josh shouted causing Neville to jump in fright and hit his head. He came up rubbing his head and look at Josh questioningly.

"What is it?" Neville asked. Josh ran over and sat on his bed.

"When we found out about the Chamber opening, I wrote my grandfather!" Josh said excitedly and then waved the letter in Neville's face who looked at it questioninlgy. "I just got his reply!"

"Really?" said a surprised and now excited Neville. "What did he say?"

"Well he talks about, when he was in school, that the Chamber has been opened before!" Josh started. "And at that time, a girl died in a bathroom, and after that. No one spoke of it ever again, but he tells me that a monster was captured. An acromantula owned by Hagrid. Hagrid was arrested and expelled, and then some boy named Tom Riddle receiver a trophy for special services to the school."

"So, the chamber has been opened before?" Neville said as he stood up.

"Yeah, i believe so," Josh said. "We need to tell Daphne and Tracey and see how the potion's going." Neville nodded and left with Josh to tell Daphne and Tracey the news.

Josh and Neville turned a corner on the fifth floor where they ran into Ginny, Ron's little sister. "Oh, sorry Ginny," Josh said as he stepped aside.

"Bite me!" She snapped icily and then passed the two Gryffindors and leaving them in shock.

"She must be mad at me because of what happened between me and Ron," Josh said to Neville.

"What did happen between you and Ron?" Neville asked curiously.

"When Ron, Harry, and Hermione found out me and Daphne were friends, he lashed out saying out she was a death eater waiting to happen, and how all Slytherins are bad and evil wizards," Josh explained as they reached the fourth floor.

"So, you defended her," Neville said. "I get it."

"But that's just not it, Nev," Josh said, leaving a puzzled Neville. "He wasn't only badmouthing Daphne, but my mother too. Well, my family since most were in Slytherin."

"Oh," Neville said. "I see."

"Yeah, that was like days ago, and we haven't spoken since."

"Neville! Josh!"

The two turned to see Tracey quickly walking up towards them. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"Why? What's going on?" Josh asked her.

"Daphne's halfway through the potion," Tracey answered. "And she needs your help."

"Mine? Why?" Josh asked.

Tracey rolled her eyes. "Come on," she said and grabbed onto Josh and pulled him with her with Neville in tow. She led the two boys towards a second floor girl's bathroom where Josh and Neville stopped.

"Come on, guys," Tracey said.

"Yes, that's it isn't," Neville said, confusing Tracey.

"What's it? What are you talking about?" she asked.

"He's talking about how we are guys and how that is a girl's bathroom," Josh said pointing towards the bathroom. Tracey sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Come on," Tracey said as she pulled Josh in. "It's not like you haven't been in a girl's bathroom before."

"Of course, Daphne would have told you about that night," Josh answered as Neville sighed and followed them in to find Daphne sitting around a burning cauldron with some ingredients. "Okay, what's up?"

"I just need you to make sure I'm doing this right, and stuff," Daphne answered. "And help out of course." Josh nodded and sat next to Daphne and began helping her with the potion. Neville leaned up against the stall, and Tracey sat up against a wall.

"Josh, tell them," Neville said. Daphne and Tracey looked back at Josh, questioningly. Josh nodded and then continued to tell them about his grandfather's letter and what he told Josh.

"You mean the Chamber of Secrets has been opened before?" Daphne asked Josh who nodded in confirmation.

"Of course. Don't you see? Lucius Malfoy must have opened it when he was at school here. And now he's taught Draco how to do it," Tracey theorized. Josh raised an eyebrow. Was Lucius Malfoy really that old? It's possible.

"Maybe," Daphne said, adding more ingredients to the cauldron. "We'll have to wait for the Veritaseum to know for sure."

"Can someone Enlighten me?" Neville asked while looking around. "Why are we brewing this potion in broad daylight, in the middle of a girl's lavatory? Don't you think we'll get caught?" This seemed like a good question to Josh as he was wondering the same thing.

Daphne and Tracey snorted in amusement. "No. No one ever comes in here." Daphne said.

"Why?" Josh asked

"Moaning Myrtle," Daphne said simply as Tracey tried not to giggle.

"Who?" Neville asked confused as a transparent girl in Hogwarts robes then stuck her head out of the third stall and glared as an unsuspecting Neville. Josh's eyes widened as he noticed her.

"Moaning Myrtle," Tracey repeated having notice the ghost as well.

"Who's Moaning Myrtle?" Neville asked.

"I'm Moaning Myrtle!" Myrtle screeched angrily as Neville jumped and then stared wide eyed at her, his back pressed against one of the stalls. She then flew up to float over the sinks to stare down at us. "But I wouldn't expect you to know me! Who would ever talk about ugly, miserable, moping Moaning Myrtle?" She asked before sniffling and then shrieking as she flew back past us all and diving into her toilet, the water springing everywhere inside the stall.

"She's a little sensitive," Daphne shrugged.

"A bit?" Tracey asked sarcastically as Neville hadn't moved yet. Josh on the other hand, was trying not to laugh.

"Anyway, the Veratiserum should be ready in about two weeks… I think it'll be enough for the all of us," Daphne sighed, looking into the bubbling cauldron. Josh looked inside the cauldron.

"You know," he started. "We shouldn't waste this after we use it on Malfoy's cronies."

"What do we suppose we should use it for?" Daphne asked.

"Well, if we had more adventures, we could use it to get some information," Josh answered. "Or we could just use it for fun. Find out some peoples secrets." He finished then turned to look at Neville who was back to normal. "Oh yeah, it turns out that Harry, Ron, and Hermione are going to brew Polyjuice Potion to get information out of Malfoy. Do you know what that is?"

"Yeah, it's a potion that turns you into another person," Daphne answered while stirring in her cauldron.

"Interesting," Josh said

A few days passed and news that Colin Creevey had been attacked and was now lying as though dead in the hospital wing had spread through the entire school. The air was suddenly thick with rumour and suspicion. The first years were now moving around the castle in tight-knit groups, as though scared they would be attacked if they ventured forth alone.

Josh noticed Ginny, who sat next to Colin in Charms, was distraught, and he felt that Fred and George were going the wrong way about cheering her up. They were taking turns covering themselves with fur or boils and jumping out at her from behind statues. They only stopped when Percy, apoplectic with rage, told them he was going to write to Mrs. Weasley and tell her Ginny was having nightmares.

Meanwhile, hidden from the teachers, a roaring trade in talismans, amulets, and other protective devices was sweeping the school. Neville Longbottom bought a large, evil-smelling green onion, a pointed purple crystal, and a rotting newt tail before the other Gryffindors pointed out that he was in no danger; he was a pure-blood, and therefore unlikely to be attacked.

"They went for Filch first," Neville said, his round face in the Great Hall one day. "And everyone knows I'm almost a Squib."

"Neville," Josh started as he stared as Neville's so called talismans. "You're not a Squib, and you will most likely not be attacked cause you're a pureblood. I'm more likely to be attacked than you. My dad's a muggle."

"Oh," said Neville and looked at his now worthles things. He then held up the rotting newt tail in Josh's face. "Want a good luck charm?" he asked Josh who was having trouble breathing and then smacked the newt tail away where it flew into Lee Jordan's soup. Josh and Neville watched and laughed as Lee ate his soup and spit it out immediately.

In the second week of December Professor McGonagall came around as usual, collecting names of those who would be staying at school for Christmas. Josh and Neville signed her list; Josh was told by Daphne that Malfoy was staying, which struck him as very suspicious. The holidays would be the perfect time to use the Veratiserum on his cronies to see if they knew anything. They could use as the potion would be ready in a couple of days.

But then something interesting happened the day it was ready.

Potions lessons took place in one of the large dungeons. Thursday afternoon's lesson proceeded in the usual way. Twenty cauldrons stood steaming between the wooden desks, on which stood brass scales and jars of ingredients. Snape prowled through the fumes, making waspish remarks about the Gryffindors' work while the Slytherins sniggered appreciatively. Draco Malfoy, who was one of Snape's favourite students, kept flicking puffer-fish eyes at Ron Weasley and Harry Potter, who knew that if they retaliated they would get detention faster than you could say "Unfair."

Josh's Swelling Solution was just right, but still, Snape patronized and critisized it.

Josh then noticed Harry duck swiftly down behind his cauldron, pulled one of Fred's Filibuster fireworks out of his pocket, and gave it a quick prod with his wand. The firework began to fizz and sputter. He saw Harry straightened up, take aim, and lobbed it into the air; and to Josh's surprise, it landed right on target in Goyle's cauldron.

Goyle's potion exploded, showering the whole class, In an instant, Josh and Neville hid under their desks not wanting to get it. This was procedure for them because of Neville's poor potion skills. People shrieked as splashes of the Swelling Solution hit them. Malfoy got a face full and his nose began to swell like a balloon; Goyle blundered around, his hands over his eyes, which had expanded to the size of a dinner plate — Snape was trying to restore calm and find out what had happened. Through the confusion and from under the table, Josh saw Hermione slip quietly into Snape's office.

"Silence! SILENCE!" Snape roared. "Anyone who has been splashed, come here for a Deflating Draft — when I find out who did this —"

Josh and and Neville stood up and tried not to laugh as they watched Malfoy hurry forward, his head drooping with the weight of a nose like a small melon. As half the class lumbered up to Snape's desk, some weighted down with arms like clubs, others unable to talk through gigantic puffed-up lips, Josh saw Hermione slide back into the dungeon, the front of her robes bulging with a raised eyebrow.

When everyone had taken a swig of antidote and the various swellings had subsided, Snape swept over to Goyle's cauldron and scooped out the twisted black remains of the firework. There was a sudden hush.

"If I ever find out who threw this," Snape whispered, "I shall make sure that person is expelled."

Snape was looking right at Harry as if he knew it was him, and the bell that rang ten minutes later which could not have been more welcome to some of the students.

Josh and Neville exited the potion's classroom when they were both grabbed and pulled into an alcove. It was Daphne and Tracey who had pulled them in.

"A little more gentler lext time guys," said Josh as he straighetened out his robes while Neville blushed. "What's up?" he asked the girls.

"The potion's ready," Daphne answered as Tracey gave a nod. Josh nodded.

"What about your picnic?" Josh smiled. "Is it ready? Have you already asked Crabbe and Goyle, then?"

"What?" Daphne and Tracey said in unison with disgust on their faces.

"What? Me an Neville aren't going on a date with them," Josh said pointing to him and Neville.

"I thought we were going to do something else," Tracey said.

"Like you said, this the only plan we have," Josh said. "Look, it won't last that long. Just do the start and when you get the information, just tell them something and leave. You don't have to stay through the whole thing."

"It's likely they'll eat all the food themselves anyway," Neville joke causing them to laugh and then they began to leave when he asked, "What happens if there's something wrong with the potion?"

"I guess they'll be telling the truth for the rest of their lives," Josh joked.

Josh and Neville left the common room when the day was over to go watch their friends' unwelcomed dates. When they were outside, they saw them at a distance, and Josh could tell that Daphne and Tracey were bored and disgusted. The two laughed as Crabbe offered Tracey a half eaten apple, and then sat or stood on the ground behind a boulder.

"Chocolate Frog?" Josh offered Neville who shrugged an nodded. Josh handed him one as Josh had one himself. Josh ate his chocolate and looked at the card as Neville's frog jumped away and he was trying to geti it back. "Morgana." Josh commeneted then tossed it away. He didn't collect the cards like is ex-friend Ron. He thought it was dumb.

Josh heard laughter, so did Neville as his head popped up with a chocolate and grass stain on his cheek. Tracey, Daphne, and Grabbe were laughing, probably laughing at Goyle who was looking embarassed that he said something he didn't want to. That's when Josh figured The two girls were messing with them. After a few minutes, the two girls left the boys who were looking pretty embarrassed, and then joined Josh and Neville at the rock.

"So?" Josh asked expectantly.

"Well, Malfoy's not the Heir," Daphne answered as Tracey stared at Neville's dirty face and looking clueless.

"What else did you learn?" Josh asked.

"Basically the same thing your grandfather wrote," Daphne answered. "Oh, and people think Harry's the Heir of Slytherin and Malfoy hopes that Granger dies." Surprising Josh and Neville who shared a look.

"This is bad," Neville commented. Everyone looked at Neville and his dirty face. "What?" he asked and they began laughing leaving Neville clueless.

* * *

><p><strong>AN Don't worry, Josh still likes Harry and Hermione, but the only reason he doesn't hang out with them is because Ron's around.**


	6. Christmas Days

Chapter 6: Christmas Days

A week later, Josh and Neville were walking across the entrance hall when they saw a small knot of people gathered around the notice board, reading a piece of parchment that had just been pinned up. Seamus and Dean beckoned them over, looking excited.

"They're starting a Duelling Club!" said Seamus. "First meeting tonight! I wouldn't mind duelling lessons; they might come in handy one of these days…"

"What, you reckon Slytherin's monster can duel?" said Ron, but he, too, read the sign with interest. Josh rolled his eyes. What a stupid thing to ask.

"Could be useful," Josh said to Neville, who nodded as they went to dinner. "Shall we go?"

The Josh was all for it, so at eight o'clock that evening him and Neville hurried back to the Great Hall. The long dining tables had vanished and a golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating overhead. The ceiling was velvety black once more and most of the school seemed to be packed beneath it, all carrying their wands and looking excited.

"I wonder who'll be teaching us?" Josh heard Hermione ask as they edged into the chattering crowd. "Someone told me Flitwick was a duelling champion when he was young — maybe it'll be him." Josh's eyebrows rose. Flitwick, that little guy? Well, being small did have its advantages. Josh turned to Neville as the found a spot to stand, which happened to be next to Harry, with Ron on the other side, of course.

"As long as it's not —" Harry began, but he ended on a groan that accompanied Josh's: Gilderoy Lockhart was walking onto the stage, resplendent in robes of deep plum and accompanied by none other than Snape, wearing his usual black.

Lockhart waved an arm for silence and called "Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent! Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little duelling club, to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions — for full details, see my published works. Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape," said Lockhart, flashing a wide smile. "He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about duelling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry — you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"

"Wouldn't it be good if they finished each other off?" Ron muttered in Harry's ear and Josh snorted. Even though he hated Snape, he knew the his potion's Professor could totally annihilate the supposedly defense teacher without lifting his wand.

Snape's upper lip was curling, while Lockhart was still smiling; if Snape had been looking at Josh like that, he'd have been running as fast as he could in the opposite direction. He wouldn't even try to duel Snape even if he was his age.

Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other and bowed; at least, Lockhart did, with much twirling of his hands, whereas Snape jerked his head irritably. Then they raised their wands like swords in front of them.

"As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart told the silent crowd. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."

"I wouldn't bet on that," Josh heard Harry murmured, watching Snape baring his teeth. Josh chuckled at Harry's comment.

"One — two — three —"

Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent; Snape cried: "_Expelliarmus_!" There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet: He flew backward off the stage, smashed into the wall, and slid down it to sprawl on the floor.

Malfoy and some of the other Slytherins cheered. Josh laughed under the Slytherins cheers. Hermione was dancing on tiptoes. "Do you think he's all right?" she squealed through her fingers.

"Who cares?" said Harry, Josh, and Ron together.

Lockhart was getting unsteadily to his feet. His hat had fallen off and his wavy hair was standing on end.

"Well, there you have it!" he said, tottering back onto the platform. "That was a Disarming Charm — as you see, I've lost my wand — ah, thank you, Miss Brown — yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy — however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see…" Josh wasn't stupid, no one knew what Sbape was going to do.

Snape was looking murderous. Possibly Lockhart had noticed, because he said, "Enough demonstrating! I'm going to come amongst you now and put you all into pairs. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me —"

They moved through the crowd, matching up partners. Lockhart teamed Neville with Justin Finch-Fletchley and Hermione with Lavender Brown, but Snape reached Harry and Ron first. Josh standing around pretending to look for a partner.

"Time to split up the dream team, I think," he sneered. "Weasley, you can partner Finnigan. Potter —"

Harry moved automatically toward Josh.

"I don't think so," said Snape, smiling coldly. "Mr. Malfoy, come over here. Let's see what you make of the famous Potter. And you, Mr. Anderson — you can partner Mr. Nott." Josh's hand tightly gripped his wand and just remembered when Nott had tripped him the beginning of the year, and now, he was going to get Nott back.

Malfoy and Nott strutted over, both smirking.

"Face your partners!" called Lockhart, back on the platform. "And bow!"

Josh and Nott barely inclined their heads, not taking their eyes off each other, Harry and Malfoy did the same.

"Wands at the ready!" shouted Lockhart. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents — only to disarm them — we don't want any accidents — one… two… three —"

Harry and Josh swung his wand high, but Malfoy, as well as Josh, had already started on "two". Harry and Nott stumbled a bit from the ground stumbled, and it seemed Malfoy and Josh used the same spell on their opponents, and wasting no more time, Harry pointed his wand straight at Malfoy and shouted, "_Rictusempra_!"

"_Everte Statum_!" Nott shouted. A jet of silver light hit Malfoy in the stomach and he doubled up, wheezing while Josh was then flipped into the air and then landed on the ground with a thud

"I said disarm only!" Lockhart shouted in alarm over the heads of the battling crowd, as Malfoy sank to his knees; Harry had hit him with a Tickling Charm, and he could barely move for laughing. Harry hung back, with a vague feeling it would be unsporting to bewitch Malfoy while he was on the floor, but this was a mistake; gasping for breath, Malfoy pointed his wand at Harry's knees, choked, "_Tarantallegra_!" and the next second Harry's legs began to jerk around out of his control in a kind of quickstep.

Josh stood up and quickly shouted, "__Locomotor Wibbly_!" _The curse hit Nott where his legs became jelly and he fell to the ground.

"Stop! Stop!" screamed Lockhart, but Snape took charge. "_Finite Incantatem_!" he shouted three times; Harry's feet stopped dancing, Malfoy stopped laughing, Nott was able to stand back up, and they were able to look up. Josh smirked as he didn't really have nothing to be changed back to normal for.

A haze of greenish smoke was hovering over the scene. Both Neville and Justin were lying on the floor, panting; Ron was holding up an ashen-faced Seamus, apologizing for whatever his broken wand had done; but Hermione and Lavender were still standing, but Hermione had two wands.

"Dear, dear," said Lockhart, skittering through the crowd, looking at the aftermath of the duels. "Up you go, Macmillan…Careful there, Miss Fawcett… Pinch it hard, it'll stop bleeding in a second...

"I think I'd better teach you how to block unfriendly spells," said Lockhart, standing flustered in the midst of the hall. He glanced at Snape, whose black eyes glinted, and looked quickly away. "Let's have a volunteer pair — Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you —"

"A bad idea, Professor Lockhart," said Snape, gliding over like a large and malevolent bat. "Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left of Finch-Fletchley up to the hospital wing in a matchbox." Neville's round, pink face went pinker and Josh glared at Snape. Josh knew Neville had more heart than Snape ever will.

"How about Malfoy and Potter?" said Snape with a twisted smile.

"Excellent idea!" said Lockhart, gesturing Harry and Malfoy into the middle of the hall as the crowd backed away to give them room. This did seem like a really bad idea to Josh. The two hated each other.

"Now, Harry," said Lockhart. "When Draco points his wand at you, you do this."

He raised his own wand, attempted a complicated sort of wiggling action, and dropped it. Snape smirked as Lockhart quickly picked it up, saying, "Whoops— my wand is a little overexcited—" Josh facepalmed as he overheard.

Snape moved closer to Malfoy, bent down, and whispered something in his ear. Malfoy smirked, too. Harry looked up nervously at Lockhart and said, "Professor, could you show me that blocking thing again?"

"Scared?" muttered Malfoy, so that Lockhart couldn't hear him.

"You wish," said Harry out of the corner of his mouth. Josh and his friends watched the two nervously.

Lockhart cuffed Harry merrily on the shoulder. "Just do what I did, Harry!"

"What, drop my wand?" Harry asked uncertainly.

But Lockhart wasn't listening.

"Three — two — one — go!" he shouted.

Malfoy raised his wand quickly and bellowed, "_Serpensortia_!"

The end of his wand exploded. Harry and Josh watched, aghast, as a long black snake shot out of it, fell heavily onto the floor between them, and raised itself, ready to strike. There were screams as the crowd backed swiftly away, clearing the floor.

"Don't move, Potter," said Snape lazily, clearly enjoying the sight of Harry standing motionless, eye to eye with the angry snake. "I'll get rid of it…"

"Allow me!" shouted Lockhart. He brandished his wand at the snake and there was a loud bang; the snake, instead of vanishing, flew ten feet into the air and fell back to the floor with a loud smack. Enraged, hissing furiously, it slithered straight toward Justin Finch-Fletchley, who was next to Josh, and raised itself again, fangs exposed, poised to strike.

Josh wasn't sure what made him do it. He wasn't even aware of deciding to do it. All he knew was that his legs were carrying him forward as though he was on casters and that he had shouted stupidly at the snake, "_Back Off!" _Just as Harry shouted.

"_Leave him alone_!" And miraculously — inexplicably — the snake slumped to the floor, docile as a thick, black garden hose, its eyes switching between Harry and Josh, then it turned back to Justin.

"_Don't even think about it_!" Harry and Josh said in unison. The snake eyed the two boys, then moved away.

Harry and Josh looked up at Justin, smiling a little, expecting to see Justin looking relieved, or puzzled, or even grateful — but certainly not angry and scared.

"What do you think you're both playing at?" he shouted, and before Harry or Josh could say anything, Justin had turned and stormed out of the hall.

Snape stepped forward, waved his wand, and the snake vanished in a small puff of black smoke. Snape, too, was looking at Harry and Josh in an unexpected way: It was a shrewd and calculating look. They were also dimly aware of an ominous muttering all around the walls. Then they felt a tugging on the back of their robes.

"Come on," said Ron's voice in Harry's ear, while Neville and Daphne pulled Josh away. "Move — come on —"

Neville, Daphne, and Tracey led a puzzled Josh out towards the grounds, and before they left, Harry and Josh had both exchanged a confused look with one another as they were led in opposite directions.

"You're a Parselmouth? Why didn't you tell us?" Tracey immediately exclaimed as they found a spot the lake and sat down.

"I'm a what?" Josh asked, confused.

"You can talk to snakes," Daphne said simply.

"I can?" Josh said while thinking it over. "So I can. I'm sure a lot of people can do it."

"It's not a very common gift, Josh. This is bad," Daphne said worriedly.

"What's bad? If I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin-" Josh said a little annoyed.

"So, that's what you said to it!" Tracey interrupted.

"You were there! You heard me!" Josh exclaimed getting annoyed.

"I heard you speaking Parseltongue. Snake language?" Tracey said back.

"I spoke a different language?" Josh asked in shock. But Harry heard him clearly, too. Did that mean Harry was a parselmouth too? "But- I didn't realize I- how can I speak a language without knowing I can?"

"I don't know, Josh, but it sounded like you were egging the snake on, or something," Daphne said, making Josh feel really bad and nervous. "Josh, listen to me. There's a reason the symbol of Slytherin House is a serpent. Salazar Slytherin was a Parselmouth. He could talk to snakes, too."

"Exactly! Now the whole school's gonna think you're his great- great- great grandson, or something," Neville exclaimed out of no where.

"But I'm not… I can't be," Josh said, though he didn't sound very convinced. After all, most of his family were in Slytherin.

"He lived a thousand years ago, for all we know, you could be," Daphne sighed.

"Yeah, and you could be related to Harry," Tracey said causing them to look at her. "What, he was speaking to snakes too."

"Yeah, he was," Daphne said. "What did he say?" She asked Josh.

"Told the snake to stop like I did," Josh answered now feeling a little bummed, but at least he wasn't the only one as Harry was probably having the same conversation with Ron and Hermione.

* * *

><p>Josh lay awake for hours that night. Through a gap in the curtains around his four-poster he watched snow starting to drift past the tower window and wondered…<p>

Could he be a descendant of Salazar Slytherin? It was possible as generations in his family were in Slytherin, but they were some Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, but he didn't know if he did have any relatives in Gryffindor. He'd have to ask his Grandfather, and then tell him and his mother that he could talk to snakes. Josh wondered how she was going to take it.

Quietly, almost like a whisper, Josh heard someone whisper out some words, and it sounded a lot like Harry. And to Josh, Harry was saying random things. Josh got out of his bed and then walked over to Harry's bed. "Harry?" he whispered, and then Harry's curtains opened to reveal a wide awake Harry.

"Josh," Harry greeted depressingly. "Heard you could speak to snakes."

Josh nodded. "I could say the same to you. What are you doing?" He asked.

"Trying to speak parseltongue," Harry answered with a sigh. "So far, nothing."

"Maybe you have to be face-to-face with a snake to do it," Josh said with a shrug. "Would make sense."

"But I'm in Gryffindor," Harry said. "The Sorting Hat wouldn't have put me in here if I had Slytherin blood."

"Hey, most of my family have been and Slytherin and I'm in Gryffindor," Josh commented. "I could be a descendant from Slytherin, but i don't know." Josh sighed and then turned to go back to his bed. "Night, Harry." And then went to bed.

By next morning, however, the snow that had begun in the night had turned into a blizzard so thick that the last Herbology lesson of the term was cancelled: Professor Sprout wanted to fit socks and scarves on the Mandrakes, a tricky operation she would entrust to no one else, now that it was so important for the Mandrakes to grow quickly and revive Mrs. Norris and Colin Creevey.

The Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs were in a study room doing their homework. Josh and Harry were sitting next to one another, murmurs and whispers could be heard and Josh new they were about him and Harry. Ron was sitting across from Hermione and kept stealing glances at Josh for some odd reason, and Josh thought he had another thing to call him on about his biased Slytherin ideas or whatever.

Josh stood up, annoyed with all the stares and whispers. "I'm see you later," he said and then gathered his things.

"I'll go with you," Harry said as he stood up as well, and the two left the room with everyone staring at them. They were along a corridor and they both stopped at the same time when they heard that cold, icy voice.

"_...kill...kill...kill..."_

"Oh no," Josh breathed out as he looked at Harry who had the same nervous look upon his face. Harry and Josh continued to walk on with alert in their eyes and ears, and they were shocked to see something very surprising when they turned the corner.

Before them was a petrified Justin, a look of complete terror frozen onto his face as he stared off at the ceiling. On the other side of him was Nearly Headless Nick, his head hanging off to the side, revealing why he was only nearly headless. The look of them together, frozen and looking close to dead made the two boys want to run and scream like a five-year-old.

Harry and Josh walked nearer to get a closer look. Josh walked up to stare at Nick while Harry bent over Justin.

"This is bad," Josh stated with a gulp. "What are we going to do?" he asked Harry who only could shrug as he noticed something strang across the ground. Josh walked over to see what Harry was looking at, and there, crawling in a line across the wall and out the window, were spiders. "Strange," Josh said.

"Caught in the act! Both of ya! I'll have ya' out this time, mark my words," Filch growled before running off the way he came to get a teacher.

"No! Mr. Filch! Y-you- you don't understand!" Harry yelled after him, but it was no use. Josh straightened up. They were in for it now.

"Oh!" The frightened gasp made Harry and Josh spin around to see Professor McGonagall with her hand over her mouth, staring in shock at Sir Nicholas and Justin before her eyes touched on her two Gryffindors.

"This way, Potter, Anderson," she said.

"Professor," said Harry at once, "I swear we didn't —"

"This is out of my hands, Potter," said Professor McGonagall curtly and Josh gulped. He never been so afraid in his life.

They marched in silence around a corner and she stopped before a large and extremely ugly stone gargoyle.

"Lemon drop!" she said. This was evidently a password, because the gargoyle sprang suddenly to life and hopped aside as the wall behind him split in two. Even full of dread for what was coming, Harry and Josh couldn't fail to be amazed. Behind the wall was a spiral staircase that was moving smoothly upward, like an escalator. As he, Josh, and Professor McGonagall stepped onto it, Josh heard the wall thud closed behind them. They rose upward in circles, higher and higher, until at last, slightly dizzy, Josh and Harry saw a gleaming oak door ahead, with a brass knocker in the shape of a griffin. To Josh, this could only be the home and office of the one and only Professor Dumbledore.

It was a large and beautiful circular room, full of funny little noises. A number of curious silver instruments stood on spindle legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke. The walls were covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses, all of whom were snoozing gently in their frames. There was also an enormous, claw-footed desk, and, sitting on a shelf behind it, a shabby, tattered wizard's hat — the Sorting Hat.

Josh watched as Harry took the Sorting Hat and after a minute, he tore it off.

"You're wrong," he said aloud and put the Hat back. Josh walked next to Harry.

"What did it say?" he asked Harry.

"That I would have done well in Slytherin," Harry answered, Josh nodded, and Then a strange, gagging noise behind him made him wheel around.

They weren't alone after all. Standing on a golden perch behind the door was a decrepit-looking bird that resembled a half-plucked turkey. Harry stared at it and the bird looked balefully back, making its gagging noise again. Josh was amazed, he never seen a real Phoenix before. He thought it looked very ill. Its eyes were dull and, even as Josh and Harry watched, a couple more feathers fell out of its tail. And then, it burst into flames.

Harry yelled in shock, causing Josh to jump, and backed away into the desk. Josh watched in amusement as Harry looked feverishly around in case for a glass of water somewhere but couldn't see one; the bird, meanwhile, had become a fireball; it gave one loud shriek and next second there was nothing but a smouldering pile of ash on the floor.

Josh was about to tell Harry what happened, the office door opened. Dumbledore came in, looking very sombre.

"Professor," Harry gasped. "Your bird — We couldn't do anything — he just caught fire —"

To Harry's astonishment, Dumbledore smiled. He looked at Josh who was smiling too.

"About time, too," he said. "He's been looking dreadful for days; I've been telling him to get a move on." He chuckled at the stunned look on Harry's face, so did Josh. "Fawkes is a phoenix, Harry. Phoenixes burst into flame when it is time for them to die and are reborn from the ashes. Watch him…"

Harry and Josh looked down in time to see a tiny, wrinkled, newborn bird poke its head out of the ashes. It was quite as ugly as the old one, yet was very amazing to Josh.

"It's a shame you had to see him on a Burning Day," said Dumbledore, seating himself behind his desk. "He's really very handsome most of the time, wonderful red and gold plumage. Fascinating creatures, phoenixes. They can carry immensely heavy loads, their tears have healing powers, and they make highly faithful pets."

Before Dumbledore could speak another word, however, the door of the office flew open with an almighty bang and Hagrid burst in, a wild look in his eyes, his balaclava perched on top of his shaggy black head and the dead rooster still swinging from his hand.

"It wasn' Harry or Josh, Professor Dumbledore!" said Hagrid urgently. "I was talkin' ter them seconds before that kid was found, they never had time, sir —" Dumbledore tried to say something, but Hagrid went ranting on, waving the rooster around in his agitation, sending feathers everywhere, making Josh want to laugh. "it can't've bin them, I'll swear it in front o' the Ministry o' Magic if I have to."

"Hagrid, I —"

"— yeh've got the wrong boys, sir, I know they never —"

"Hagrid!" said Dumbledore loudly. "I do not think that Harry nor Josh attacked those people."

"Oh," said Hagrid, the rooster falling limply at his side. "Right. I'll wait outside then, Headmaster." And he stomped out looking embarrassed.

"You don't think it was us, Professor?" Harry repeated hopefully as Dumbledore brushed rooster feathers off his desk.

"No, Harry, I don't," said Dumbledore, though his face was somber again. "But I still want to talk to you and Josh." Harry waited nervously while Dumbledore considered him, the tips of his long fingers together. "I must ask you first, Harry, whether there is anything you'd like to tell me," he said gently. "Anything at all."

"No," said Harry. "There isn't anything, Professor.."

Dumbledore nodded and then turned to Josh. "And you, Josh. Is there anything you'd like to tell me?" he repeated to Josh.

Josh didn't know what to say at first. He thought of the disembodied voice he had heard twice and remembered what Neville had said: "Hearing voices no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the wizarding world." He thought, too, about what his friends were saying to him about how he could be connected with Salazar Slytherin…but then, he thought otherwise.

"No sir," Josh answered with a straight face.

"Very well," Dumbledore said. "You may go." Josh and Harry nodded and left the office.

The double attack on Justin and Nearly Headless Nick turned what had hitherto been nervousness into real panic. Curiously, it was Nearly Headless Nick's fate that seemed to worry people most. What could possibly do that to a ghost? people asked each other; what terrible power could harm someone who was already dead? There was almost a stampede to book seats on the Hogwarts Express so that students could go home for Christmas.

"At this rate, we'll be the only ones left," Tracey told Josh, Neville and Daphne. The four were in one fo the courtyards talking and just hanging out. "Us, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle. What a jolly holiday it's going to be."

"So are the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione," Josh added. "I think they're going to do their polyjuice plan in a week or so."

"Well, let's hope something goes horribly wrong for them," Tracey said with a smirk while Daphne and Neville chuckled.

"Expecially for Ron," Josh murmured. Daphne and Neville looked away.

"Why him?" Tracey asked curiously. But no one answered and it was silent for a few seconds. "Did i miss something?" she asked the group.

"Let's just say that Josh and Ron had sort of a falling out," Neville answered as Josh stared at something.

"Why?" Tracey asked. "What kind of falling out?"

"One where it involved Ron's predujice towards Slytherins," Daphne answered. "Basically badmouthing all Slytherins there ever were."

"How does that affect Josh?" Tracey asked, clueless still.

"Because his mother was in Slytherin," Daphne answered surprising Tracey.

"And his father?"

"Muggle," Josh answered simply.

"Really? My mom's a muggle," Tracey replied surprising Josh. Tracey was a halfblood and in Slytherin. He thought that Slytherin only took in purebloods, and that was one of the reasons Josh thought he wasn't in Slytherin.

At last the term ended, and a silence deep as the snow on the grounds descended on the castle. Josh found it peaceful, rather than gloomy, and enjoyed the fact that he, Hermione, Harry, and the Weasleys had the run of Gryffindor Tower, which meant they could play Exploding Snap loudly without bothering anyone, and practice duelling in private. Neville had decided to go home at the last minute. Fred, George, and Ginny had chosen to stay at school rather than visit Bill in Egypt with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Percy, who disapproved of what he termed their childish behaviour, didn't spend much time in the Gryffindor common room. He had already told them pompously that he was only staying over Christmas because it was his duty as a prefect to support the teachers during this troubled time.

Christmas morning dawned, cold and white. Harry, Josh, and Ron, the only ones left in their dormitory, were woken very early by Hermione, who burst in, fully dressed and carrying presents for them both.

"Wake up," she said loudly, pulling back the curtains at the window.

"Hermione — you're not supposed to be in here —" said Ron, shielding his eyes against the light.

"Happy Christmas to you, too," said Hermione, throwing him his present. "I've been up for nearly an hour, adding more lacewings to the potion. It's ready."

"Oh, your Polyjuice potion is ready?" Josh asked sarcasitcally. Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at him in shock.

"How do you know what kind of potion it is?" Ron asked suspicsiously.

Josh shrugged. "I have my ways," he asid. "What are you going to use it for?"

"None of your business," Ron hissed icily. Josh smirked and turned away.

"Alright, but believe me when i say this," Josh said. "But you're not going to find out that much from Malfoy." Ron glared at Josh and was about to make a snide comment, but was interrupted.

"Are you sure?" Harry asked suddenly.

"Positive," said Hermione, shifting Scabbers the rat so that she could sit down on the end of Ron's four-poster. "If we're going to do it, I say it should be tonight."

At that moment, Hedwig and Shadow swooped into the room, both carrying a very small package in her beak. Josh sat up and began to ignore his two friends and Ron.

"Hello," Josh greeted his owl and then grabbed the parcel from his beak. He opened the parcel to see it was a Dark Magic Detector that looked like a coin. He read the note from his mother and said that it will warm up and vibrate violently when dark magic is near, or something that seems dark.

The rest of Josh's Christmas presents were far more satisfactory. Hagrid had sent him a large tin of treacle fudge, Fred and George gave him some Filibuster Fireworks, Neville gave him some Chocolate Frogs, His Grandfather sent him a New Defense Book, Daphne and Tracey had gave him a Potions book with a note saying, 'Next time, you're making the potion,' and Hermione had bought him a luxurious eagle-feather journal. Josh opened the last present to find a new, hand-knitted sweater from Mrs. Weasley and a large plum cake which surprised him cause with not being friends with Ron anymore, he figured he wasn't going to get a sweater this year, but he was still friends with the twins.

No one could fail to enjoy Christmas dinner at Hogwarts that night.

The Great Hall looked magnificent. Not only were there a dozen frost-covered Christmas trees and thick streamers of holly and mistletoe crisscrossing the ceiling, but enchanted snow was falling, warm and dry, from the ceiling. Dumbledore led them in a few of his favorite carols, Hagrid booming more and more loudly with every goblet of eggnog he consumed. Percy, who hadn't noticed that Fred had bewitched his prefect badge so that it now read "Pinhead," kept asking them all what they were sniggering at. Harry didn't even care that Draco Malfoy was making loud, snide remark about his new sweater from the Slytherin table. With a bit of luck, Malfoy would be getting his comeuppance in a few hours' time.

Josh didn't want to sit near Ron, so he sat with Daphne and Tracey at the Hufflepuff table that was surprisingly very very empty.

"Get anything cool for christmas?" Josh asked the two girls.

"Not anything in particular," Daphne answered and then took a bite of pudding.

"I got a new dress," Tracey said with a smile. Josh rolled his eyes and shook his head. He had no interest in dresses. "Did you get anything cool?"

Josh shrugged. "Just a dark magic detector and a defense magic book."

"How many defense books do you have?" Tracey asked Josh. "Daphne tells me you're obsessed with Defensive Magic."

"I'm not obsessed!" Josh protested. "I find it interesting and i'm pretty good at it." Tracey and Daphne shared a look and rolled their eyes. Josh looked over at his friends and Ron to see them huddled over and looking back at the Slytherin table where Crabbe and Goyle were stuffering their faces.

The next two days, Josh had learned that Hermione was in the Hospital wing, and after a heated arguement with Ron, Josh went to go check on her. He was surprised to find her looking like a cat.

Hermione remained in the hospital wing for several weeks. There was a flurry of rumor about her disappearance when the rest of the school arrived back from Christmas holidays, because of course everyone thought that she had been attacked. So many students filed past the hospital wing trying to catch a glimps of her that Madam Pomfrey took out her curtains and placed them around Hermione's bed, to spare her the shame of being seen with a furry face.

One day, Josh went to go visit Hermione and brought her some flowers. "Hello," he greeted her and set the flowers at her bedside table.

"Hi," She smiled. "And thank you."

"No problem," He answered and sat down when he noticed something gold stick out of Hermione's pillow. "What's this!" Josh asked as he swiped it out which turned out to be a card.

"It's a get well card," Hermione said with a blush as she tried to swipe it back, but Josh pulled it away and read the card.

"_To Miss Granger, I hope you have a speedy recovery, from your concerned teacher, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of' _blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah," Josh finished then handed the card back to Hermione who put it back under her pillow. "Do you sleep with that under your pillow?" he said.

Hermione glared at Josh as she opened one of her books. Josh laughed, bid her a goodbye, and left the hospital wing.


	7. Who's to Blame?

Chapter 7: Who's to Blame?

It was February. Hermione was out of the Hospital Wing, back to Normal, and Josh had learned that Harry and Ron discovered the second floor flooded and an empty diary that belonged to a Tom M. Riddle, which sounded vaguely familiar to Josh who just couldn't remember where he heard that name before.

The sun had begun to shine weakly on Hogwarts again. Inside the castle, the mood had grown more helpful. There had been no more attacks since those on Jusin and Nearly Headless Nick, and Madam Pomfrey was pleased to report that the Mandrakes were becoming moody and secretive, meaning they were fast leaving childhood.

Perhaps the Heir of Slytherin had lost his or her nerve, Josh would think. He thought that it must be getting riskier and riskier to open the Chamber of Secrets, with the school so alert and suspicious. Perhaps the monster, whatever it was, was even now settling itself down to hibernate for another fifty years.

Yet, Ernie MacMillan of Hufflepuff didn't take this cheerful view. He was still convinced that the Parselmouth Brothers, aka Harry and Josh, were still the guilty ones and that they had given themselves away at the Dueling Club.

And then there was Gilderoy Lockhart, mush to Josh's annoyance, who thought he was the one who had made the attacks stop. Josh and Neville overheard him telling McGonagall so while the Gryffindors lined up for Transfiguration.

"You know, what the school needs now is a morale-booster. Wash away the memorise of the last term! I won't say any more just now, but i think i know just the thing..." He tapped his nose and then strode off.

Lockhart's idea of a Morale-Booster became clear at breakfast time on February the fourteenth. Josh hadn't had much sleep as he had a nightmare about a giant and scary looking snake that was chasing him. He arose and ran down to the Great Hall, slightly late. And for a moment, He thought he had walked through the wrong doors.

The walls were all covered with large, lurid pink flowers. Worse still, heart-shaped confetti was falling from the pale blue ceiling. Josh went over to sit next to Neville who sat next to Harry, who was sitting across from Ron looking sickened, and sitting next to Hermione who was overcome with giggles and sitting across from Neville.

"What in the world is going on here?" Josh asked when he sat down and wiped some confetti off of some bacon.

Neville, with his mouth full, pointed towards the Teachers' table. Josh looked over to the table to see Lockhart, wearing lurid pink robes to match the decorations, and was waving for silence. Josh should of known this was that idiot's idea. He looked at the other teachers, on either side of Lockhart, and had stony faces. Snape looked as though someone had just fed him a large beaker of Skele-Gro.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" Lockhart shouted. "And may i thank the forty-six people who have so far sent me cards. Yes! I have taken the liberty of arranging this little surprise for you all, and it doesn't end here!"

Lockhart clapped his hands and through the doors to the entrance hall marched a dozed surly-looking dwarfs. Not just any dwarfs, however. Lockhart had them all wearing golden wings and carrying harps.

"My friendly, card carrying cupids!" Lockhart beamed. "They will be roving around the school today delivering your valentines! And the fun doesn't stop here! I'm sure my colleagues will want to show you how to whip up a love potion! And while you're at it, Professor Flitwick knows more about Entrancing Enchantments than any wizard I've ever met, the sly old dog."

Professor Flitwick buried his face in his hands. Snape was looking as if the first person to ask him for a love potion would be force-fed potion.

"Please Hermione, tell me you weren't one of the forty-six," Josh heard Ron ask as they left the Great Hall for the first lesson. Josh watched as she became very interested in searching for something in her bag and not bothering to answer Ron. And Josh knew she was one of the forty six, he saw her writing the card a couple days before.

All day long, the dwarfs kept barging into their classes to deliver valentines, to the annoyance of the teachers, and late that afternoon as the Gryffindors were walking upstairs for Charms, one of the dwarfs caught up with Harry.

"Oy, you! 'Arry Potter!" shouted a particularly grim-looking dwarf, elbowing people out of the way to get to Harry. Josh turned in amusement to see the little dwarf trying to get to Harry who was trying to escape. The dwarf, however, cut his way through the crowd by kicking people's shins, and reached Harry before he'd gone two paces.

"I've got a musical message to deliver to 'Arry Potter in person," he said, twanging his harp in a threatening sort of way.

"Not here," Harry hissed, trying to escape.

"Stay still!" grunted the dwarf, grabbing hold of Harry's bag and pulling him back.

"Let me go!" Harry snarled, tugging.

With a loud ripping noise, his bag split in two. His books, wand, parchment, and quill spilled onto the floor and his ink bottle smashed over everything. Josh couldn't help but laugh. why not just hear the dumb poem and get it over with.

Harry scrambled around, trying to pick it all up before the dwarf started singing, causing something of a hold up in the corridor. Josh would have helped, but he decided to just let it happen.

"What's going on here?" came the cold, drawling voice of Draco Malfoy. Harry started stuffing everything feverishly into his ripped bag. Josh knew he didn't want Malfoy of all people to hear Harry's Valentine. He looked behind Malfoy and saw Daphne and Tracey looking curiously.

"What's all this commotion?" said another familiar voice as Percy Weasley arrived.

Harry tried to make a run for it, but the dwarf seized him around the knees and brought him crashing to the floor.

"Right," he said, sitting on Harry's ankles. "Here is your singing valentine:

_His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad,_

_His hair is as dark as a blackboard,_

_I wish he was mine,_

_he's really divine,_

_The hero who conquered the Dark Lord "_

Everyone was laughing around Harry except for his friends, except Ron who was coughing, obviously covering up his laughing. Josh actually didn't think the poem was that funny, and he kind of felt sorry for Harry at that moment. Harry stood back up pretending to laugh with the group as well.

"Off you go, off you go, the bell rang five minutes ago, off to class, now," he said, shooing some of the younger students away. "And you, Malfoy —"

Josh, glancing over, saw Malfoy stoop and snatch up something. Leering, he showed it to Crabbe and Goyle, and Josh realized that he'd got that diary that Harry had found a while back.

"Give that back," said Harry quiet as Josh stood next to Harry.

"Wonder what Potter's written in this?" said Malfoy, who obviously hadn't noticed the year on the cover and thought he had Harry's own diary.

A hush fell over the onlookers. Ginny was staring from the diary to Harry, looking terrified, and Josh noticed.

"Hand it over, Malfoy," said Percy sternly.

"When I've had a look," said Malfoy, waving the diary tauntingly at Harry.

Percy said, "As a school prefect —" but to Josh's surprise, Harry had lost his temper. He pulled out his wand and shouted, _"Expelliarmus!" _and just as Snape had disarmed Lockhart, Malfoy found the diary shooting out of his hand into the air. Josh, grinning broadly, caught it.

"Nice one, Harry," he said and handed the diary back to Harry.

"Harry!" said Percy loudly. "No magic in the corridors. I'll have to report this, you know!"

Josh and Harry both smirked at Malfoy who was looking furious, and as Ginny passed him to enter her classroom, he yelled spitefully after her, "I don't think Potter liked your valentine much!"

Ginny covered her face with her hands and ran into class. Harry sighed and left to Charms, so did Percy. Josh turned to see Malfoy smiling triumphantly and noticed Josh looking at him, and then walk up to him. "Problem, Anderson?" he asked.

"No," Josh answered with a blank face. He then bucked at Malfoy who flinched violently, causing him to chuckle, shake his head, and point at Malfoy. "Two for flinching," he said then walked into the Charms classroom and sat next to Neville. Daphne and Tracey were laughing at the whole exchange until class had begun.

It was now nearly four months since Justin and Nearly Headless Nick had been Petrified, and nearly everybody seemed to think that the attacker, whoever it was, had retired for good. Peeves had finally got bored of his "Oh, Potter, you rotter" song, Ernie Macmillan asked Harry quite politely to pass a bucket of leaping toadstools or to Josh for some soil in Herbology one day, and in March several of the Mandrakes threw a loud and raucous party in greenhouse three.

This made Professor Sprout very happy. "The moment they start trying to move into each other's pots, we'll know they're fully mature," she told Josh and Neville. "Then we'll be able to revive those poor people in the hospital wing."

The second years were given something new to think about during their Easter holidays. The time had come to choose their subjects for the third year, a matter that Hermione, at least, took very seriously.

"… it could affect our whole future," she told Harry, Josh, Neville, and Ron as they pored over lists of new subjects, marking them with checks.

"I just want to give up Potions," said Harry.

"We can't," said Ron gloomily, who Josh was still ignoring when he was near him. "We keep all our old subjects, or I'd've ditched Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"But that's very important!" said Hermione, shocked. Josh and Neville shared a look and shook their heads.

"Not the way Lockhart teaches it," said Ron. "I haven't learned anything from him except not to set pixies loose."

To Josh's amusement, Neville had been sent letters from all the witches and wizards in his family, all giving him different advice on what to choose. Confused and worried, he sat reading the subject lists with his tongue poking out, asking people whether they thought Arithmancy sounded more difficult than the study of Ancient Runes.

Dean Thomas, who, like Harry, had grown up with Muggles, ended up closing his eyes and jabbing his wand at the list, then picking the subjects it landed on. Hermione took nobody's advice but signed up for everything.

Josh sort of followed. In the end, he decided on Care of Magical Creatures, Ancient Runes, Divination (For Harry's sake and for an easy class), and was going to be taking Healing lessons with Madam Pomfrey.

Gryffindor's next Quidditch match would be against Hufflepuff. Everyone thought they were on the verge of winning the Quidditch cup which made the whole team very happy. But it didn't last long.

Josh and Neville walked up to their dorm when they found it a mess, and it was only Harry's things. It looked as if a tornado had gone through all his things an threw them around the room. "Neville, go get Harry," he told Neville who nodded and left to go find Harry. Josh was examining the mess, when minutes later, Neville came back with Harry, Ron, and Hermione in tow.

"What happened?" Hermione asked.

"No idea," Josh replied while moving something with his foot.

"It looked as if someone was looking for something," Ron said while examining Harry's robes. "Is there anything missing?"

Josh watched as Harry rummaged around for a couple minutes and then answered Ron. "Yeah, Riddle's diary. It's gone." Everyone looked at one another. Who could have stolen it and why?

"But — only a Gryffindor could have stolen — nobody else knows our password —" Hermione commented.

"Exactly," said Harry. Josh felt like someone was staring at him. He looked up to see Ron looking at him suspiciously, and he knew what Ron was thinking, that Josh was the one who took it, and that he was the Heir of Slytherin.

They awoke the next day to brilliant sunshine and a light, refreshing breeze.

"Perfect Quidditch conditions!" said Wood enthusiastically at the Gryffindor table, loading the team's plates with scrambled eggs. "Harry, buck up there, you need a decent breakfast."

Meanwhile, Josh was staring down the packed Gryffindor table, wondering if the new owner of Riddle's diary was right in front of his eyes. After the whole debacle yesterday, Ron had done nothing but accuse Josh of everything having to do with the attacks when they were alone. Josh didn't care really. He knew it wasn't him, and he could and would prove it if he was arrested for it like Hagrid was back then.

As he left the Great Hall with Neville he heard it again

"_Kill this time… let me rip… tear…"_

Josh shouted aloud causing Neville jumped away from him in alarm.

"The voice!" said Josh, looking over his shoulder. Daphne and Tracey had heard him and walked over to him and Neville. "I just heard it again — didn't you?" he asked Neville who shook his head. Josh looked at the two girls who shook their heads too. He also looked at the passing people who seemed to be minding their own business and not even know there was a voice either.

And then it hit Josh. A voice, one that only him and Harry could hear, and maybe one that they could only communicate with, just like that day at the Dueling Club. Josh then began walked foward, hurriedly.

"Josh?" Neville said.

"I think I've just understood something! I've got to go to the library," Josh said and then ran off before saying, "I'll see you at the Quidditch game!"

Josh entered the library and then ran towards the magical creatures section, where he found Hermione and an older girl with Ravenclaw robes on.

"Hermione!" Josh called her.

"Josh? What are you doing her?" She asked him.

"I know what the monster is!" Josh answered surprising the older girl. "I just need to make sure."

"I think i know too," Hermione said. "Listen to this, '_Of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk, __known also as the King of Serpents. This snake, which may reach gigantic size and live many hundreds of years, is born from a chicken's egg, hatched beneath a toad. Its methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, and all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall suffer instant death. Spiders flee before the Basilisk, for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it.'"_

"That's it!" Josh exclaimed excitedly. "We've figured it out!" he shouted and gave Hermione a hug. But then...

"_Rip...tear...let me kill...let me drink blood...sooo tasty..."_

"Oh no!" Josh said as he let go of Hermione and looked around. It was that icy cold voice again, and this time, it sounded very, very close.

"What is it, Josh?" Hermione asked as the older girl was getting worried as well.

"It's here," Josh whispered.

"What's here?" The older girl asked nervously.

"Slytherin's monster," Josh answered as the two girls looked at one another with fear in their eyes.

"What do we do?" Hermione nervously asked. Josh looked at the two girls who were both very afraid and looking at him expectantly.

"Okay, let's get out of here, and get to Dumbledore, okay?" He said. The two girls nodded. Josh slowly and cautiously walked down the aisle. Hermione grabbed his hand and then the older girl grabbed hers. They reached the end of the aisle when Josh heard a dragging sound, so did Hermione and the older girl.

"What was that?" the older girl asked, but neither Gryffindor answered, and then, books fell behind them. The girls screamed, and the three ran. They turned and turned and turned, and Josh felt as if they were in a maze, and they couldn't find their way out. And then, they hit a dead end, and ran into a window between two shelves.

"Great," Josh said as he ran and looked out the window. He saw the grounds, and the Quidditch pitch, and could see people walking towards it.

"What do we do?" the older girl asked.

"I don't know," Josh answered, looking out the window. "I wish there's a way we could look behind the shelves without being killed."

"I know," Hermione said and pulled out a small hand mirror. "I have this mirror." Josh didn't watch as Hermione and the older girl decided to looked behind the shelves.

"Okay, I say we make a run for it," Josh said and then turned around, and his breath was caught in his throat. Hermione and the older girl were standing there motionless. Josh stared wide eyed as right behind his back, his best friend and a girl he just met, were petrified. "Hermione?" he said.

_"Tooo late...Killl...tear...rip apart..."_

Josh quickly closed his eyes and turned around.

_"Killl...turn around... let me drink the blood...turn around!"_

_"No!" _Josh shouted, in parseltongue.

_"What?"_

_"I said no! Leave me alone!" _Josh shouted._ "Go back where you came from!"_

_"As you command."_

Josh opened his eyes. Did the monster just do as he said? But why? He thought that only the heir of Slytherin could command it. Unless...? No, he refused to believe it. It couldn't be true. Josh sat agianst the window, and stared at Hermione and the older girl. Was this his fault? Did he bring them to this dead end on purpose without evening knowing it? And did he really attack those others without knowing it did?

Josh stared as his eyes glistened with tears as he believed that this was his fault. It was it fault, right? Josh covered his face and began to cry.

"Oh, my dear lord!"

Josh looked up with his tear strained face to see Madam Pince looking back in shock. "I...I...I..di.." Josh stuttered as he couldn't speak a full sentence. He threw his face back into his hands and cried some more. It wasn't until minutes later, Pince came back with McGonagall. She gasped in shock at what she saw, and didn't say anything as she led Josh out of the Library and into Dumbledore's office. McGonagall left as he waited, waited to be convicted and blamed for these attacks.

A couple hours later, Josh was wiping his face when Dumbledore finally entered his office. He was obviously busy with the attacks and other things. Dumbledore walked over and sat behind his desk. Josh looked up and connected eyes with Dumbledore.

"Sir, I..." Josh started, but couldn't finish then bowed his head.

"Joshua, it is important that you tell me what is going on?" Dumbledore said calmly. "But, answer me this. Did you have anything to do with these attacks?"

"I don't know," Josh whispered.

"What do you mean?" Dumbledore asked. "Explain."

"Just now, when Hermione and that older girl were petrified, I heard the monster," Josh said. "I could here is speak. And when it was going to attack me, I said no and then told it to go away, and then it said something."

"What did it say?" Dumbledore asked.

"As you command," Josh quoted and then sniffed. "The monster listened to me, Professor." he said then looked up at the Headmaster. "He listened to me!" he shouted. "I thought that only the Heir of Slytherin could command his monster! And it listened to me!" Josh repeated for a thrid time.

"Do you think that you did these attacks and did them unknowingly?" Dumbledore asked the twelve year old.

Josh shrugged. "I don't know, maybe," he answered, then looked at the headmaster. "Is it possible to do something without remembering you did that something?"

"It's possible," Dumbledore replied. "But i do not think it's happening to you. And I still believe you are innocent, Josh. I know you are not a bad wizard."

"How do you know!" Josh shouted at the headmaster.

"I just do," was Dumbledore's simple reply.

"That doesn't explain how I know Parseltongue," Josh murmured as he crossed his arms, feeling like he wanted to cry again.

"That is one big mystery," Dumbledore said and before he could continue, the fireplace roared to life, and out stepped a man in purple and blue ministry robes looking dignified and professional. "Ah, Cornelius Fudge, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Dumbledore asked the Minister of Magic.

"Evening, Albus," Fudge greeted. "I am here to speak to Hagrid."

"Very well," Dumbledore said as he stood. "Joshua, if you would please follow us." Josh nodded and stood up as well.

Minutes later, Dumbldore knocked on Hagrid's door with Josh and Fudge behind him. Josh heard shuffling as if one or more person was in there, and seconds later, the door opened to reveal the half-giant.

"Good Evening, Hagrid," Dumbledore greeted. Hagrid stepped back as the three entered the hut. He gave Josh a puzzled look who was looking at the ground. Josh felt like someone was watching him, and he swear he heard a whisper, but when he looked behind him, no one was there. Meanwhile, Hagrid dropped into one of his chairs and looked from Dumbledore and Fudge, looking pale and sweaty.

"Bad Business, Hagrid," Fudge said in rather clipped tones. "Very bad business. Had to come. Four attacks on muggle-borns, and nearly a Half-blood. Things've gone far enough. Ministry's got to act."

"I never," said Hagrid, looking imploringly at Dumbledore. "You know I never, Professor Dumbledore, sir-"

"I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence," Dumbledore said, frowning at Fudge.

"Look, Albus," Fudge said, uncomfortably. "Hagrid's Record's against him. Ministry's go to do something - the school govenors have been in touch -"

"Yet again, Cornelius, I tell you that taking Hagrid away will not help in the slightest," Said Dumbledore glancing at Josh who noticed that the headmaster's eyes were full of fire he'd never seen before.

"Look at if from my point of view," said Fudge, fidgeting with hos bowler. "I'm under a lot of pressure. Got to be seen to be doing something. If it turns out it wasn't Hagrid, he'll be back, and no more said. But i've got to take him, Got to. Wouldn't be doing my duty -"

"Take me?" said Hagrid, who was trembling. Josh gulped, scared for Hagrid. "Take me where?"

"For a short stretch only," said Fudge, not meeting Hagrid's eyes. "Not a punishment, Hagrid, more of a precaution. If someone else is caught, you'll be let out with a full apology -"

"Not Azakaban!" croaked Hagrid and shocking Josh. They were going to take Hagrid to that awful wizarding prison?

And before Fudge could answer, there was another loud rap on the door. Dumbledore answered it. Josh was surprised to see Lucius Malfoy stride into Hagrid's hut, swathed in a long black traveling cloak, smiling a cold and satisfied smile. Fang started to growl.

"Already here, Fudge," he said approvingly. "Good, good..."

"What're you doing here?" Hagrid said furiously. "Get outta my house."

"My dear man, please believe me, I have no pleasure at all in being inside your - er - d'you call this a house?" said Malfoy, sneering as he looked around the cabin till his eyes fell on Josh who looked away. "I simply called at the school and was told that the headmaster was here."

"And what exactly do you want with me, Lucius?" Dumbledore asked politely, yet the fire was still blazing in his eyes.

"Dreadful thing, Dumbledore," Malfoy said lazily taking out a parchment, "but the govenors feel it's time for you to step aside. This is an Order of Suspension. You'll find all twelve signatures on it. I'm afraid we felt you're losing your touch. How many attacks have there been now? Two more this afternoon, and nearly a...Half-blood, wasn't it?" he said as he glanced at Josh who stayed quiet. "At this rate, there'll be no more muggleborns left at Hogwarts, and we all know what an awful loss that would be to the school." Josh's eyes widened, take their headmaster away? What good will that do.

"Oh, now, see here, Lucius," said Fudge, looking alarmed, "Dumbledore suspeneded -no, no - last thing we want just no -"

"The appointment - or suspension - of the headmaster is a matter for the govenors, Fudge," Mr. Malfoy spoke smoothly. "And as Dumbledore has failed to stop these attacks - "

"See here, Malfoy, If Dumbledore can't stop them," said Fudge, whose upper lip was sweating now. "I mean to say, who can?"

"That remains to be seen," Mr. Malfoy said with a nasty smile. "But as all twelve of us have voted -"

"An' how many did yeh have ter threaten an' blackmail before they agreed, Malfoy, eh?" Hagrid roared.

"Dear, dear, you know, that temper of yours will lead you into trouble one of these days, Hagrid," said Mr. Malfoy. "I would advise you not to shout out at the Azkaban guards like that. They won't like it at all."

"You can't take Dumbledore away!" Josh finally spoke, and all heads turned to him. "Take him away and we won't stand a chance. If he's gone, there might be killings next!"

"Are you sure about that, little boy?" Malfoy said as he glared at Josh suspiciously.

"Why don't you - "

"Calm yourself, Mr. Anderson," Dumbledore said sharply. Josh nodded and went back to being quiet. Dumbledore looked back at Malfoy. "If the govenors want my removal, Lucius, I shall of course step aside - "

"But -" stuttered Fudge.

"No!" Josh and Hagrid growled.

Dumbledore had not taken his bright blue eyes off of Malfoy's cold grey ones.

"However," said Dumbledore, speaking very slowly and clearly so that none of them could miss a word. "You will find that I will only truly leave this school when none here are loyal to me. You will also find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it."

For a second, Josh was almost sure that Dumbledore's eyes flickered towards the corner behind him.

"Admirable sentiments," Malfoy said, bowing. "We shall miss all your - er - highly individual way of running things, Albus, and only hope that your successor will manage to prevent any killings."

Malfoy strode to the cabin door, opened it, and bowed Dumbledore out. Fudge, fiddling with his bowler, waited for Hagrid to go ahead of him, but Hagrid stood his ground, took a deep breath, and said carefully, "If anyone wanted ter find out some stuff, all they'd have to do would be ter follow the spiders. That's lead them right! That's all I'm sayin."

Fudge stared at him in amazement.

"All right, i'm coming," said Hagrid, pulling on his moleskin overcoat. But as he was about to follow Fudge through the door, he stopped again and said loudly, "An' someone'll need ter fee Fang while I'm away." And the two left with Josh still standing in the hut alone.

"Wow, they didn't even notice me anymore," Josh murmured to himself. "Weird."

"Yeah it is!"

Josh yelped and jumped when he heard Harry's voice from behind him. He turned around to see Harry and Ron.

"And you're right," Harry said. "With no Dumbledore, there'll be an attack a day." Josh nodded and turned to Ron who was staring at him.

"You think I attacked Hermione, don't you?" Josh asked him.

"I mean, how can I not," Ron said. "You were there. They were petrified and you weren't. Sounds very fishy to me."

Josh sighed heavily. "Look, Ron, I only took my eyes off of them for a second and when i turned, they were petrfied. I didn't tell that monster to do it."

"What did you do then?" Ron growled.

"I told him to go away," Josh said calmly.

"Oh, and he just went away did he?"

"Yeah," Josh said quietly. "He did." Ron looked at Josh, trying to figure out what that meant.

"Look, we don't have time for this," Harry spoke up. "Now, Look!" he said pointing at something. Ron and Josh looked to where he was pointing to see a line of spiders, climbing up the hut wall and out a little crack in the window. "Well, come on. Come on, Fang!" Harry said and headed out the Hut with a lantern.

Ron and Josh turned to look at each other as Harry walked out the door with Fang at his side, a look of fear in Ron's eyes, and a roll of Josh's eyes because of Ron's stupid fear of spiders.

Josh shook his head and quickly followed Harry with Ron in tow, Josh pulled out his wand and using _Lumos_ to light his wand as he walked outside, following behind Harry who carried the huge lantern. From what Josh could see, the spiders were all making their way into the dark forest.

"Come on!" Harry said, and Josh followed without whining, Ron however was the opposite.

"What?" Ron cried, his voice crackling in fear.

"You heard what Hagrid said; 'Follow the spiders,'," Harry repeated, walking ahead as Josh rolled his eyes.

"But they're headed to the Dark Forest!" Ron yelled after him.

"Man up, Ron, and come on!" Josh said. "For Hermione." That seemed to get Ron to go in, but not to stop him from whining.

"Why spiders," Ron whined. "Why couldn't it be 'follow the butterflies'?"

It took a long time of following the spiders into the dark forest before the three Gryffindors got anywhere. They came to where a bunch of trees were huddled together and their roots created a tunnel which all of the spiders were crawling into.

"Harry, I don't like this… Harry, I don't like this at all!" Ron whined, his voice cracking again as we all stared at the tunnel.

"Shush!" Harry and Josh shushed him.

"Can we go back now?" Ron whispered.

Harry looked over at Ron before sighing and walking toward the tunnel of spiders. "Come on," Harry said, crouching down to go into the tunnel. "You don't see Josh whining like a girl." He told Ron. Josh looked back at Ron and smirked. Ron just ignored him. The three entered the tunnel and a minute later, Josh, Harry, and Ron emerged and they all looked around together.

They were sort of standing into the center of a bowl, which was surrounded by trees and tree roots with large spider webs hanging everywhere. The three Gryffindors continued to follow the spiders until they all disappeared down a hole where surrounded by tree roots.

Crunching and the sound of falling trees sounded as They then heard a deep booming voice coming form the whole. "Who is it?"

"Don't panic," Harry whispered to Ron as he began to wheeze and Josh who gripped his lit wand tighter.

"Hagrid? Is that you?"

"We're friends of Hagrid's," Harry called to the voice.

Suddenly, big, hairy, huge, icky, giant spider legs emerged from the hole, followed by an equally big, hairy, huge, icky, giant spider. "And you? Y- y-you're Aragog aren't you?" Harry asked as Josh and Harry stared at the enormous spider. Josh had never seen one so big. He looked at Ron who was on the verge of crying from fear.

"Yes. Hagrid has never sent men into our hollow before," the huge spider named Aragog said.

"He's in trouble. Up at the school, there have been attacks. They think it's Hagrid. They think he opened the Chamber of Secrets… like before," Harry explained.

"That's a lie! Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets!" Aragog yelled at us making Ron whimper and take a step back. Since Ron's wand was broken, Josh thought it would be appropriate to take the rear as Harry was in front.

"Then you're not the monster," Harry asked it.

"No! The monster was born in the castle. I came to Hagrid from a distant land, in the pocket of a traveler," Aragog told Harry.

"Harry, Josh," Ron whined, making only Josh look at him questioningly.

"Shush," Harry hissed at him, yet Josh followed where Ron was looking. Spiders, the size of large dogs and small vehicles were pouring in around them without Harry's notice. "But if you're not the monster, then- then what did kill that girl fifty years ago?" Harry asked the giant spider.

"We do not speak of it. It is an ancient creature we spiders fear above all others," Aragog told Josh who had just remembered something, but he was too worried about the spiders that were surrounding them at the moment.

"But have you seen it?" Harry asked.

"I never saw any part of the castle but the box in which Hagrid kept me. The girl was discovered in a bathroom. When I was accused, Hagrid brought me here," It said.

"Harry!" Ron and Josh cried loudly, getting Harry's attention.

"What?" Harry hissed. Ron pointed upward at the spiders dropping down from the trees, making him back up into Ron and Josh moved closer to the two, his wand aimed anywhere he saw movement, which was almost everywhere.

"Well, thank you. We'll just… go," Harry tried, forcing him and his friends all to back up toward the entrance.

"Go? I think not. My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid on my command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat when it wanders so willingly into our midst. Good-bye, friends of Hagrid," Aragog said.

"Can we panic now?" Ron whined as a spider dropped down in front of the three. Ron squeaked and Harry whacked the thing with the lantern, but unfortunately loosing it to the spider as well.

"Know any spells?" Ron whined to Harry and Josh.

"One, but it's not powerful enough for all of them," Harry said, sounding panicked.

"What is it!" Josh quickly asked as the three were facing different directions and surrounding Fang.

"_Arania Exumai," _Harry said, and Ron and Josh nodded.

"Where's Hermione when you need her?" Ron cried.

"Don't worry Ron, Me and Harry can do this, just don't try anything with your broken wand," Josh told Ron desprately who nodded while still whimpering.

Suddenly, The three boys heard the roaring of an engine and found the spiders retreating even more from the headlights of a car speeding toward them which stopped in front of the three boys before the doors flew open.

"Let's go!" Harry yelled pushing Ron in front of him and Josh yanked the seat forward and got in. "_Arania Exumai!_" Harry yelled before jumped in and slamming the door. Spiders dropped on top of the car making it rock. "Go!" he yelled to Ron who was in the Driver's seat.

Ron hit the gas and shifted the stick and the car flew out of the hollow and after a couple of minutes, they landed safely on the ground.

"Glad we're out of there," Ron sighed happily before a spider appeared, biting Ron's neck through the window. All three boys screamed out of terror.

"_Arania Exumai!_" Harry yelled, and a bright white-ish blue light sprang from his wand and hit the spider, knocking it off of Ron.

"Thanks for that," He said.

"Don't mention it," Harry replied.

Josh looked through the cracked windshield, seeing the long line of spiders staring back at us before the began to charge at the car. "Get us out of here. Now!" he shouted. The car roared to life and spun until we were moving forward, trying to get away from the spiders. "Come on! Come on! Move faster! Go on! Go! Get us in the air," Josh shouted at Ron.

"The flying gear's jammed!" Ron shouted back.

"Come on! Pull!" Harry shouted as he tried to pull the gear with Ron.

"I'm trying!" Ron groaned out.

Josh stared wide eyed as spiders appeared in front of them, trying to head them off. The car slammed into them as Ron and Harry tried to pull the flying gear until finally the car was lifted off the ground and started flying towards the sky. After a few minutes, the car finally crashed down near Hagrid's hut where Harry, Josh, and Ron jumped out and Fang ran out and ran back into Hagrid's hut.

"Follow the spiders! Follow the spiders!" Ron yelled angrily as he came around the car to Harry and Josh's side. "If Hagrid ever gets out of Azkaban, I'll kill him!" He continued to shout as Josh watched the car take off back into the forest on it's own.

"I mean, what was the point of sending us in there? What have we found out?" Ron asked. Josh turned to Harry for the answer as well.

"We know one thing. Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets. He was innocent," Harry said, sounding guilty and happy at the same time. Josh and Ron shared a look and nodded.

"Oh, and just becasue we had that little adventure together," Josh started at Ron who looked back with his eyebrows raised. "Doesn't mean we're friends again."

"I feel the same way," Ron agreed with his arms crossed.

"Well, at least you two agree on one thing," Harry said with a sigh.

"Shut up, Harry." Ron and Josh said in unison.


	8. Through the Chamber

Chapter 8: Through the Chamber

It was a few weeks till exams, and Josh was treated very badly. News of the attack on Hermione and the other girl, Penelope Clearwater, and Josh leaving unscathed had spread quickly. And this lead to everyone believing that Josh was the supposed Heir of Slytherin, and that he attacked those girls. But Josh didn't care that much, sort of. He still had Neville, Daphne, Tracey, and Harry that still wanted to be his friends.

Josh layed awake, something Aragog had said that one night was picking at him. Josh already new that the monster of Slytherin was a Basilisk, and he had yet to to tell Harry and Ron. And now he knew that Hagrid was more innocent, but not what his Grandfather told him, but about what Aragog had said. If it was a snake, then Hagrid would be guilty, but he wasn't. But the real Heir of Slytherin had got off free, and no one could tell whether it was the same person, or a different one, who had opened the Chamber this time, There was nobody else to ask.

He was becoming drowsy when what seemed like his very last hope occurred to him, and he suddenly sat bolt upright.

"Harry!" Josh hissed through the dark as he got out of bed and ran towards Harry to shake him awake. "Harry -"

Harry rolled over as he grabbed his glasses and sat up to see Josh, and looked at him questioningly, a little annoyed to have been awoken.

"Harry, that girl who died. Aragog said that she had been found in the bathroom," Josh whispered furiously, ignoring Ron's loud snores, and Neville's quiet ones. "What if she never left that bathroom! What if she's still in that same bathroom!"

Harry rubbed his eyes under his glasses, as somethign clicked in his head. And then he undersood, too. "Moaning Myrtle!" he said with wide eyes. Josh nodded.

The next morning, Ron, Josh, and Harry were all sitting at breakfast, talking.

"All those times we were in her bathroom, and she was just three toilets away," Ron said bitterly as he ate his breakfast. "We could've asker her, and now..."

It had been hard enough trying to look for spiders. Escaping their teacher's long enough for the three to sneak into the girls' bathroom, the girls' bathroom, moreover, right next to the scene of the first attack, was going to be almost impossible.

But something happened in their first lesson, Transfiguration, that drove the Chamber of secrets out og their minds for the first time in weeks. Ten minutes into the class, Professor McGonagall told them that their exams would start on the first of June, one week from today.

"Exams!" Seamus howled from the back of the class. "We're still getting exams?"

There was a loud bang next to Josh as Neville's wand slipped, vanishing one of the legs on his desk. Professor McGgonagall restored it with a wave of her own wand, and turned, frowning to Seamus. Josh sighed and turned to look at the empty seat next to him; a seat that would surely have held Hermione if she was there.

"The whole point of keeping the school open at this time is for you to receive your education," she said sternly. "The exams will therefore take place as usual, and I trust you are all studying hard."

Studying hard! It had never occured to Josh that there would be exams with the castle in this state. There was a great mutinous muttering around the room, which made Professor McGonagall scowlimg even more darkly.

"Professor Dumbledore's instructions were to keep the school running as normally as possible," she said. "And that, I need hardly point out, means finding out how much you have learned this year."

Josh looked down at the pair of rabbits he was suppose to turn into slippers. This was the first time he was actually procrastinating and having a hard time as he couldn't concentrate. This Slytherin relation thing was really bugging him to the core, but he knew if he had to take the exams, he was surely to pass.

"Can you imagine me taking me exams with this?" Josh heard Ron say to Harry and held up his wand, which had just started whistling loudly.

After class, Josh was walking alone on the first floor when he heard his name being called.

"Josh!"

He turned to see Daphne and Tracey walk up to him looking worriedly.

"Hey," Josh replied lazily.

"Wow, Josh, you look tired," Tracey said as she noticed bags under his eyes. It was true, he hadn't been sleeping that well since Hermione and Penelope were petrified.

"Thanks," Josh replied.

"Josh, what's going on with you?" Daphne asked. "We haven't seen you in days. Where have you been?"

"Haven't you heard," Josh started with his hands in his pockets. "I'm the Heir of Slytherin without even knowing it and I attacked everyone who's been petrified."

"I know, and you know that you don't believe that," Daphne told him, with Tracey nodding in agreement. "You didn't attack anyone, and you are not the Heir of Slytherin."

"I'm not?" Josh said as he glared at the two girls. "Then how come the monster listened to me when i told him to go away? Go on, tell me?" he asked the two girls who were now shocked by the news, and had no answer to Josh's question.

"Maybe -"

"Just leave me alone," Josh said and then walked away from the two girls who sighed and left back to their dorms.

Three days before their first exam, Professor McGonagall made another announcement at breakfast. "I have good news," she said, and the Great Hall, instead of falling silent, erupted. Josh, sitting next to Harry and diagonally from Ron, remained silent.

"Dumbledore's coming back!" several people yelled joyfully.

"You've got the Heir of Slytherin!" squealed a girl at the Ravenclaw table.

"Quidditch matches are back on!" Wood roared excitedly.

When the hubbub subsided, Professor McGonagall said, 'Professor Sprout has informed me that the Mandrakes are ready for cutting at last. Tonight, we will be able to revive those people who have been petrified. I need hardly remind you all that one of them may well be able to tell us who, or what, attacked them. I am hopeful that this dreadful year will end with our catching the culprit."

There was an explosion of cheering. Josh clapped and looked over towards the Slytherin table and wasn't surprised that Malfoy hadn't joined in.

"It won't matter that we never asked Myrtle, then!" Josh heard Ron say to Harry. "Hermione'll probably have all the answere when they wake her up! Mind you, she'll go crazy when she finds out we've got exams in three days' time. She hasn't studied. It might be kinder to leave her where she is till they're over." Josh looked over to Harry and Ron, thinking if he should just tell them that the monster is a Basilisk, then decided to tell them when they were alone.

And just then, Ginny Weasley came over and sat down next to Ron. She looked tense and nervous, and Josh noticed that her hands were twisting in her lap.

"What's up?" Ron said, helping himself to some more porridge.

Ginny didn't say anything, but glanced up and down the Gryffindor table with a scared look on her face.

"Spit it out!" Ron said, watching her.

"Take your time," Josh said, earning a glare and a roll of the eyes from Ron.

"I've got to tell you something," Ginny mumbled, carefully not looking at Harry or Josh.

"What is it?" Harry asked. Ginny looked as though she couldn't find the right words.

"What?" Ron asked, getting annoyed.

"What is it, Ginny?" Josh asked her politely. Ginny opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Harry and Josh leaned in closer, and Josh spoke quietly so that only Ron, Ginny, and Harry could hear him. "Does it have to do with the Chamber of Secrets? Have you seen something? Seen someone acting oddly?"

Ginny drew a deep breath and was about to speak, but at that precise moment, Percy Weasley appeared, looking tired and wan.

"If you've finished eating, T'll take that seat, Ginny. I'm starving. and I've only just come off patrol duty."

Ginny jumped up as through her chair had just been electrofied, gave Percy a fleeting, frightened look, and scampered away. Percy sat down and grabbed a mug from the center of the table.

"Percy!" Ron said angrily. "She was about to tell us something important!"

Halfway through a gulp of tea, Percy choked. "What sort of thing?" He asked coughing.

"Josh just asked her if she'd seen anything odd, and she started to say -"

"oh, that, that's nothing to do with the Chamber of Secrets," Percy said at once.

"How do you know?" Ron asked with his raised eyebrows.

After classes, Harry, Ron, and Josh were walking through the corridor with Lockhart leading them, and talking about some more untrue things.

"Mark my words," he said, ushering them around a corner. "The first words out of those poor petrified people's mouths will be 'It was Hagrid!' Frankly, I'm astounded Professor McGonagall thinks all these security measures are necessary."

"I agree sir," Harry said, making Ron drop his books in surprise, and without thinking, Josh helped him pick up the dropped books.

"Thank you Harry," Lockhart said gracefully, while they waited for a long line of Hufflepuffs to pass. "I mean, we teachers have quite enough to be getting on with, without walking student to classes and standing guard all night..."

The rest of the Gryffindors draw ahead of them, and they lagged behind a little.

"I need to tell you guys something," Josh spoke up. Ron and Harry looked up at him quistinginly, and Josh told them all about the Basislisk, how he and Harry can hear it cause they speak Parseltongue. How the Basilisk was the King of Serpents, that it was huge, could live for hundreds of years, and how it was born. He told them, from killing with its sharp and posionous fangs, the Basilisk's stare is very deadly, and gives instant death to those who stare right into it's eyes. How spiders flee from it, and how the crowing of a rooster makes the Basilisk run away.

"Wow, do you know what this means?" Harry breathed. "This is the answer we've been looking for! The monster, a giant snake. No wonder i can hear it." Harry, Ron, and Josh entered their common room, and up to their dorms. Ron sat on his, while the other two sat on Harry's. "The Basilisk killed people by looking at them, But no one's died - "

"That's because no one looked the Basilisk straight into its eyes," Josh finished for Harry.

"Of course," Harry said. "Colin saw it through his camera, and the Basilisk burned the film inside it, but Colin just got petrified. Justin...Justin must've seen the basilisk through Nearly Headless Nick! Nick got a full blast of it, but he couldn't die again...and Hermione and that Penelope girl..."

"They had used Hermione's mirror after we realized the monster was a basilisk," Josh said. "I had asked if there was a way to look round the corners with something, and Hermione pulled out her mirror."

Ron's jaw dropped. "And Mrs. Norris?" he whispered eagerly. "I'm pretty sure she didn't have a camera or a mirror."

"The water..." Harry answered slowly. Ron and Josh shared a look. "The flood from Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. I bet Mrs. Norris only saw the reflection..."

"Makes sense," Josh said, with Ron nodding in agreement.

"And Josh, you just said that the Rooster's crow was fatal to it, right?" Harry asked. Josh nodded. "Hagrid's roosters were killed! The Heir of Slytherin didn't want anyone near the castle once the Chamber was opened! Spiders flee before it! It all fits!" Harry siad excitedly. Josh stood up thinking about how the giant snake got around, and then it just came to him like that.

"But how's the basilisk getting around the place?" Ron asked. "A giant snake...Someone would've seen it..."

"The pipes," Josh answered turning to Harry and Ron. "It's been using the plumbing. Me and Harry have been hearing that voice inside the walls, like it was next to us..."

Ron suddenly jumped up. "The entrance to the Chamber!" he said hoarsely. "What if it's in a bathroom? What if it's in -"

"Moaning Myrtle's Bathhroom!" Harry finished for Ron. The three sitting there with excitement coursing through them, hardly able to beilieve it.

"This means that we can't be the only Parslemouths in the school. The Heir of Slytherin is one, too," Josh said. "That's how he's been controlling the snake!" So, he couldn't be the only one who could control it.

"What are we going to do?" Ron asked, while his eyes were flashing. "Should we go straight to McGonagall?"

"Let's go to the staff room," Harry suggested, jumping up from his bed. "She'll be there in ten minutes. It's nearly break."

The three Gryffindors left their dorms and then the common room. Not wanting to be discovered hanging around in another corridor, the three second years went straight to the deserted staff room. It was a large, paneled room full of dark, wooden chairs. Harry and Ron paced around the room unable to contain their excitement while Josh leaned against the wall.

Minutes later, Josh looked at his watch that told him twelve minutes have passed, and yet he heard no bell. "It's been over ten minutes, guys. Why hasn't the bell rang?" he asked his two friends who were about to answer, but instead, echoing through the corridors came McGonagall's voice, magically magnified.

"All students to return to their House dormitories at once. All teachers return to the staff room immediately."

Harry wheeled onto his two friends.

"Not another attack? Not now?" he said.

"What'll we do?" Ron asked, aghast. "Go back to the dormirtory."

"No," Josh answered. Harry and Ron looked at him questioningly. "I say we see what the teachers have to talk about."

"But where do we hide?" Ron asked looking around, but Harry already found a wardrobe full of teacher's cloaks.

"In here," Harry said pointing to the wardrobe. "We'll hide first, and then tell them what we've find out." Josh and Ron nodded and hid into the wardrobe with Harry.

The staff room door banged open. From between the musty old cloaks, they watched the teachers filtering into the room. Some of them were looking puzzled, others downright scared. Then Professor McGonagall arrived.

"It has happened," she told the silent staff room. "A student has been taken by the monster. Right into the Chamber itself."

Professor Flitwick let out a squeal, Sprout clapped her hands over her mouth, and Snape gripped the back of the chair vey hard and said, "How can you be sure?"

"The Heir of Slytherin," said Professor McGonagall, who was very white. "Left another message, right underneath the first one. 'Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever.'"

"Who is it?" Madam Hooch asked, who had sunked into a chair. "Which student?"

"Ginny Weasley," Professor McGonagall answered. Harry and Josh felt Ron silently slide down onto the wardrobe floor. Josh felt sorry at he looked at Ron, and then a plan began forming into his brain.

"We shall send the students home tomorrow," said Professor McGonagall. "I'm afraid that this is the end of Hogwarts. Dumbledore always said..."

The staffroom door banged open again. Lockhart stode into the staff room, beaming.

"So, Sorry - Dozed off - What have I missed?" he asked. He didn't seem to notice that the other teachers were looking at him with something remarkably like hatred. Snape stepped forward.

"Just the man," he said. "The very man. A girl has been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Taken into the Chamber of Secrets itself. Your moment has come at last."

Lockhart blanched.

"That's right, Gilderoy," chipped in Professor Sprout. "Weren't you saying just last night that you've known all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?"

"I - Well, I - " Lockhart sputtered.

"Yes, didn't you tell me you were sure you knew what was inside it?" Professor Flitwick piped up.

"D-did I? I don't recall -"

"I certainly remember you saying you were sorry you hadn't had a crack at the monster before Hagrid was arrested," said Snape. "Didn't you say that the whole affaus had been bungled, and that you should have been given a free rein from the first?"

Lockhart stared around at his stony-faced colleagues.

"I - I really never - you may have misunderstood - "

"We'll leave it to you, then, Gilderoy," Professor McGonagall said. "Tonight will be an excellent time to do it. We'll make sure everyone's out of your way. You'll be able to tackle the monster all by yourself. A free rein at last."

Lockhart gazed desperately around him, but nobody came to the rescue. He didn't look remotely handsome anymore. His lip was trembling, and in the absence of his usually toothy grin, he looked weaked chinned and feeble. Josh was having a hard time keeping in his laughing, at Lockhart.

"V-very well," Lockhart said. "I'll - be in my office, getting - getting ready." And then he left the room.

"Right," McGonagall said, whose the nostrils flaring. "That's got him out from under our feet. The Heads of Houses whould go and inform the students what has happened. Tell them the Hogwarts Express will take them home first thing tomorrow. Will the rest of you please make sure no students have been left outside of their dormitories." The teachers rose and left, one by one.

Josh opened the door, and him and Harry stumbled out. Ron coming out slowly with his head bowed, and the three returned to the Gryffindor tower.

It was probably one of the worst days of the Weasley's entire life. Josh, Harry, Ron, Fred, and George sat together in the corner of the Gryffindor common room, unable to say anything to each other. Percy wasn't there. He had gone to send an owl to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, then shut himself up in his dormitory.

No afternoon ever lasted as long as that one, nor and Gryffindor Tower ever been so crowded, yet so quiet. Near sunset, Fred and George went up to bed, unable to sit there any longer. Josh, unable to keep from the silence, spoke.

"She knew something!" he blurted out, getting Ron and Harry's attention and to look at him questioninlgy. "Ron, I know you know she did."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"You're right," Ron spoke up, finally since he was in the wardrobe. "She did know something. That's why she was taken. It wasn't some stupid thing about Percy at all. She found out something about the Chamber of Secrets. That must be why she was -" Ron rubbed his eyes frantically. "I mean, she was a pure-blood. There can't be any other reason."

"If there was anything we could do, Ron," Harry said to his friend. "I swear, we would. But I don't know."

"There is!" Josh blurted out. "We should go down the Chamber of Secrets and go and get your sister, Ron."

"I mean, come on, Josh," Harry said. "Be real. If we did, we won't even be able to see the Basilisk, cause if we look at it, we'll die!"

"Maybe we can get Lockhart to help us?" Ron suggested. "Tell him what we know. He's going to try and get into the Chamber anyways. We can tell him where we think it is, and tell him it's a basilisk in there."

Harry and Josh looked at one another, not able to think of anything else, and agreed. The three Gryffindors quickly left the common room and ran to Lockhart's office. There seemed to be alot of activity going on inside it. They could here scraping, thumps, and hurried footsteps. Harry knocked on the door and there was a sudden silence from inside. Then the door opened the tiniest crack and they saw one of Lockhart's eyes peering through it.

"Oh - Mr. Potter - Mr. Weasley - and Mr. Anderson -" he said, opening the door a bit wider. "I'm rather busy at them moment - if you would be quick -"

"Professor, we've got some information for you," Harry said. "We think it'll help you."

"Er - well - it's not terribly - " The side of Lockhart's face that they could see looked very uncomfortable. "I mean - well - all right -" He opened the door and they entered.'

The three second years looked around the office. It was almost completely stripped. Two large trunks stood open on the floor. Robes, jade-green, lilac, midnight blue, had been hastily folded into one of them; books were jumped untidily into the other. The photographs that had covered the walls were now crammed into boxes on the desk.

"Are you going somewhere?" Harry asked as Ron and Josh continued to look around.

"Er, well yes," Lockhart answered, ripping a life-size poster of himself from the back of the door as he spoke and started rolling it up. "Urgent call - unavoidable - go to go -"

"What about my sister!" Ron blurted out loudly.

"Well, as to that - most unfortunate -" Lockhart said, avoiding their eyes as he wrenched open a drawer and started emptying the contents into a bag. "No one regrets more than I -"

"You're the Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher!" Harry said. "You can't go now! Not with all the Dark stuff going on here!"

"Well - I must say - when i took the job -" Lockhart muttered, now piling socks on top of his robes. "Nothing in the job description - didn't expect -"

"You mean you're running away?" Josh said disbelievingly.

"After all that stuff you did in your books -" Harry shouted.

"Books can be misleading," Lockhart said delicately.

"You wrote them!" Harry shouted.

"My dear boy," said Lockhart, straighetning up and frowning at Harry. "Do use your common sense. My books wouldn't have sold half as well if people didn't think I'd done all those things. I mean, come on - "

"I knew it!" Josh shouted pointing at Lockhart. "You're a fraud! You've been taking credit for what a load of other people have done!"

"Joshua," Lockhart said, shaking his head impatiently, "It's not neatly as simple as that. There was work invloved. I had to track this people down. Ask them exactly how they managed to do what they did. Then i had to put a memory charm on them so they wouldn't remember doing it. If there's one thing I pride myself on, it's my Memory Charms. No, it's been a lot of work, Joshua. It's not all book signings and publicity photos, you know. You want fame, you have to be prepared for a long hard slog."

Lockhart banged the lid of his trunks shut and locked them. "Let's see," he said. "I think that's everything. Yes, only one thing left." Lockhart pulled out his wand and turned to the three boys. "Awfully sorry boys, but I'll have to put a memory charm on you now. Can't have you blabbing my secrets all over the place. I'd never sell another book."

Just in time, Harry had pulled out his wand when Lockhart barely raised his and shouted, "_Expelliarmus_!"

Lockhart was blasted backward, falling over his trunk; his wand flew high into the air; Ron had caught it and flung out the window, and then him and Josh pulled out their wands and pointed them at Lockhart.

"Shouldn't have let Professor Snape teach us that one," Harry said furiously, kicking Lockhart's trunk aside. Lockhart was looking at them, feeble once more. Harry was pointing his wand at him, along with Ron and Josh.

"What d'you want me to do?" Lockhart said weakly. "I don't know where the Chamber of Secrets is. There's nothing I can do."

"You're in luck," Josh said as Harry forced Lockhart to his feet at wandpoint. "Because we know exactly where the place is! And what's inside it! Come on!"

The three Gryffindors marched Lockhart out of his office and down the nearest stairs, along the dark corridor where the meassges shone on the wall, to the door of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. They sent Lockhart in first, whereas Josh was pleased to see the fraud shaking in his boots.

Moaning Myrtle was sitting on the tank of the end of the toilet when the all entered.

"Oh, hello Harry, Joshua," Myrtle greeted when she saw them. Harry gave a questioningly glance at Josh who smiled and shrugged. He never told them about the potion brewing in this bathroom, the same thing Harry, Ron, and Hermione had did weeks later. "What do you want this time?" she asked.

"To ask you how you died?" Harry answered.

Myrtle's whole apect changed at once. She looked as though she had never bee asked such a flattering question. "Ooooh, it was dreadful," she started. "It happened right in here. I died in this very stall. I remember it so well. I'd hidden because Olive Hornby was teasing me about my glasses. The door was locked, and i was crying, and then i heard somebody come in. They said something funny. A different language, i think it must have been. Anyway, what really got me was that it was a boy speaking. So i unlocked the door, to tell him to go away and use his own toilet, and then, I died."

"How?" Josh asked.

"No idea," Myrtle answered in hushed tones. "I just remember seeing a pair of great, big, yellow eyes. My whole body seized up, and then i was floating away..." she said dreamily at Harry. Josh and Ron shared a looked trying not to laugh. It seemed Myrtle had a crush on Harry.

"Where exactly did you see the eyes?" Harry asked the ghost.

"Somewhere over there," Myrtle answered, pointing towards the sinks in a circle.

The three Gryffindors hurried over the the sinks, while Lockhart was standing well back, looking utterly terrified.

They looked like ordinary sinks, and they examined every inch, inside and out, including the pipes below. And then Josh found it, a snake, carved on the side of one of the copper taps.

"Harry, Ron, look at this," Josh said as he beckoned the two over and showed them the snake on the tap.

"Go on," Ron said as he stood back. "One of you say something, say something in parseltongue."

"But - " Harry started.

"The only times we ever managed to speak parseltongue was when there was a snake involved," Josh said. Harry nodded in agreement.

"Try and imagine that that snake is real," Ron suggested with a shrug. Josh and Harry shared a looked and Josh nodded taking a step back to let Harry do the work. Harry turned back and looked at the snake on the tap.

"Open up," he said. Harry looked back at Josh and Ron, who shook their heads.

"English," Ron said.

Josh watched as Harry stared at the snake on the tap. "_Open up,_" Josh heard Harry said, and this time, he heard the hissing everyone else heard, and he also understood it. And at once, the tap glowed with a brilliant white and began to shake. Next second, the top of the sinks flew up, and the sinks seperated a little, and the sink with the snake on the tap sunk in the ground, and there behind the sinks was a tunnel leading down. Leading down into the Chamber of Secrets.

"_Way to go, Harry," _Josh said, unknowingly in parseltongue.

"What?" Ron said to Josh questioningly.

"What?" Josh said back in English, but Ron just shook his head, and the two turned back to Harry.

"I'm going down there," He said.

"We will too," Josh said and Ron nodded in agreement. How could they not go, now that they have found the Chamber entrance, not if they even have the faintest, slimmest, wildest chance the Ginny might be alive.

"Well, you hardly seem to need me," Lockhart spoke up with his hand on the door knob. "I'll just -" but he stopped as the three boys pointed their wands at Lockhart.

"You can go first," Ron snarled.

Lockhart approached the opening, white-faced and wandless. "Boys," he said. "Boys, what good'll it do?"

"Better you than us, coward," Josh growled.

"I really don't think -" but Lockhart never finished his sentence as Ron had jabbed him in the back and made him jump into the sliding tunnel and out of sight. Harry turned to look at his two friends, nodded, and then followed Lockhart. Josh looked at Ron and nodded, and then followed Harry through the tunnel.

It was like rushing down, an endless, slimy, dark slide. Josh could see more pipes branching off in all directions, but none as large as theirs, which twisted and turned, sloping steeply downward, and he knew that he as falling deeper below the school than even the dungeons or his first year. Behind him, he could hear Ron, thudding slightly and wailing as if he was falling to his doom.

And then, when Josh had begun to worry about what would happen when he hit the ground, the pipe leveled out, and he shout out with a wet thud, landing on the damp floor of a stoned tunnel large enough to stand in. Harry and Lockhart were getting to their feet a little ways away, both covered in slime, yet Lockhart was as white as a ghost. Josh then stood aside as Ron then came whizzing out of the pipe, and now not wailing anymore.

"We must be miles under the school," Harry said, his voice echoing in the black tunnel.

"Under the lake?" Ron said, squinting at the dark, slimy walls.

"Most likely," Josh added and lit his want with a mutter of "_Lumos!_"

All four of them turned to stare through the darkness ahead, and Harry than lit his wand. "C'mon," he said to his friends and Lockhart, and off they went, their footsteps slapping loudly on the wet floor.

The tunnel was so dark, they could only see a little distance ahead even with the help of their lit wands. Their shadows on the wet walls looked monstrous in the wandlight.

"Remember," Harry said quietly as they walked cautiously forward, "any sign of movement, close your eyes right away..."

But the tunnel was as quiet as the grave, and the first unexpected sound the heard was a loud crunch as Ron stepped on what looked to be a rat's skull. Josh lowered his wand to look at the floor and saw that it was littered with small animal bones. Trying very hard not to think what Ginny might look if they found her, Harry led the way forwards, around a dark bend in the tunnel.

"Harry, Josh - there's something up there -" Ron said hoarsely, grabbing Harry's shoulder in fright.

They froze, watching. Josh could see the outline of something huge and curved, lying right across the tunnel. It wasn't moving.

"Maybe it's asleep," Harry breathed, glancing back at his friends, and Lockhart who had his hands over his eyes. The three boys all turned to look at it, their hearts beating really fast. Josh watched as Harry edged forwards, wand held high. Josh then hesistantly followed Harry to get a closer look, his curiosity getting the better of him. Thw two raised their wands, and the light slid over the gigantic snake skin, of a vivid, posionous green, lying curled and empty across the tunnel floor. The creature that had shed it must have been twenty feet long at least.

"Blimey," Ron said weakly and nervously. There was a sudden movement behind them. Gilderoy Lockhart fainted. "Heart of a lion, this one," Ron said. And then, Lockhart quickly woke up magically and grabbed Ron's wand from his hand.

"Ah ha!" He said pointing his wand at the three boys, his gleaming smile back on his face. Josh rolled his eyes and crossed his arms as he knew something that that idiot didn't. "The adventure ends here, boys!" Lockhart said. "I shall take a bit of this skin back up to the school, tell them I was too late to save the girl, and that how you three magically lost your minds at the sight of her mangled body - say good-bye to your memories!" He raised Ron's spellotaped wand high over his head and yelled, "_Obliviate_!"

The wand exploded with the force of a small bomb. Harry and Josh flung their arms over their heads and ran, slipping over the coils of the snake skin, out of the way of the great chunks of tunnel ceiling that were thundering to the floor. The next moment, Ron was standing alone, gazing at a solid wall of broken rock.

Josh stood up and looked at the wall. "Good-bye," he said with a smirk. Harry stood up as well.

"Ron!" he shouted. "Are you okay? Ron!"

"I'm here!" came Ron's muffled voice from behind the rockfall. "I'm okay - this git's not, though - he got blasted by the wand - " Josh was silently laughing behind Harry. "What now? We can't get through - it'll take ages!"

Harry looked at Josh questioningly. "We should go on," he told Harry who nodded.

"Wait here, Ron," Harry said. "Wait with Lockhart, and We'll go on...and see if you can shift some of the rock!"

"Alright!" Ron replied.

"See you in a bit," Harry said, trying to sound confident, and he and Josh set off alone, away from the giant snake skin.

Soon the distant noise of Ron straining to shift the rocks was gone. The tunnel turned and turned again. Every nerve in Josh's body was tingling unpleasantly. He wanted the tunnel to end, yet dreaded what him and Harry would find if it did. He was sure Harry felt the same. And then at last, as the two Gryffindors crept around yet another bend, they saw a solid wall ahead on which two entwined serpents were carved, their eyes set with great, glinting emeralds. The eyes' looking strangely alive.

Harry turned to Josh and nodded towards the door. Josh nodded and looked at the door. "_Open_," he said, in a low, faint hiss.

The serpents paster as the wall cracked open, the halves slid smoothly out of sight, and the two boys, shook from head to toe. Harry and Josh looked at each other, and walked inside.


	9. Tom Marvolo Riddle AKA

Chapter 9: Tom Marvolo Riddle AKA...

Harry and Josh were standing at the end of a very long, dimly lit chamber. Towering stone pillars entwined with more carved serpents rose to support the ceiling lost in the darkness, casting long, black shadows through the odd, greenish gloom that filled the place.

Josh's heart was beating very fast, and he was sure he could hear Harry's fast beating Heart. The two stood listening to the chilling silence. Was the basilisk lurking somewhere in the shadows behind the two Gryffindors? And where was Ginny?

The two Gryffindors moved forward between the serpentine columns with their wands leading the way. Every careful footstep echoed loudly off the shadowy walls. Josh kept his eyes narrowed, ready to clamp them shut at the slightest movement. The hollow eye sockets of the stone snakes extended to be following him. More than once, with a jolt of the stomach, he thought he saw one stir.

Then, as the two Gryffindors drew level with the last pair of pillars, a statue high as the Chamber itself, loomed into view, standing against the back wall.

Josh and Harry had to crane their necks to look up into the giant face above: It was ancient and monkeyish, with a long, thin beard that fell almost to the bottom of the wizard's sweeping stone robes, where two enormous grat feet stood on the smooth Chamber floor. Josh stared up at the statue, and for some strange reason, he felt as if he knew that man, as if he was a long lost relative or something.

"Ginny!" Harry shouted, snapping Josh out of it to see Harry running over to a small, black robed figure with flaming red hair laying facedown on the ground. "Ginny - don't be dead - please don't be dead -" Harry said as he kneeled next to her while flinging his wand to the ground. Josh wiped his head and then walked over and kneeled next to Ginny as well.

Harry turned Ginny over, and Josh saw that her face was as white as marble, and as cold, yet her eyes were closed, so she wasn't petrified. But then, she must be...

"Is she...dead?" Josh whispered to Harry who shrugged and shook his head.

"I don't know," He replied. "Ginny, please wake up," he muttered desperately, shaking her. Ginny's head lolled hopelessly from side to side.

"She won't wake," siad a soft voice.

Harry and Josh jumped and spun around on their knees, Josh's wand at the ready.

A tall, black-haired boy was leaning against the nearest pillar, watching. He was strangely blurred around the edges, as though they were looking at him through a misted window. And once again, Josh fell like he knew the boy as if he was a long lost cousin or something rather.

"Tom - Tom Riddle?" Harry asked as Josh glanced at him then back at the other boy who nodded in confirmation not taking his eyes off of Harry.

"What do you mean she won't wake?" Josh asked. "Is she dead? She can't be."

"No, she's still alive," Riddle replied. "But only just."

The two Gryffindors stared back at Riddle. Josh noticed that his robes looked old, like fifty years old or so; he knew from when he saw pictures of his grandfather in his Slytherin robes, and yet, Riddle didn't look a day over sixteen.

"Are you a ghost?" Harry asked.

"A memory," Riddle answered quietly. "Preserved in the diary for fifty years." He pointed to the floor near the statue's giant toes. Lying open there was the little black diary Josh had seen Harry holding weeks back. Josh stared at the Diary, getting a funny feeling from it, and then felt something hot and vibrating in his pocket.

"You've got to help me, Tom," Harry begged, raising Ginny's head agains; Josh reaching discreetly into his pocket to feel the hot, vibrating Dark Detector he had received from his mother past Christmas. Josh slowly looked up to the diary and then looked up at Tom with suspiscion in his eyes.

"We've got to get her out of here. There's a basilisk...I don't know where it is, but it could be along any moment...Please, help me - " Harry conintued saying, yet Riddle didn't move. Harry, sweating, managed to hoist Ginny half off the floor, as Josh stood up to help Harry, and watched as he was looking for his wand that was now gone. "Did you see -"

Harry and Josh looked up and saw Riddle was still watching them - twirling Harry's wand between his long fingers.

"Thanks," Harry said, stretching out his hand for his wand. A smile curled the corners of Riddle's mouth, one that looked really threatening to Josh. Riddle continued to twirl the wand while staring at Harry. "Listen," Harry said urgently. "We've got to go! If the Basilisk comes - "

"It's wont come till it's called," Riddle said calmly. Harry helped Josh lower Ginny back to the ground.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked as the two stood up straight. "Look, give me my wand, i might need it - "

Riddle's smile broadened. "You won't be need it," he said, causing Josh to tighten his grip on his wand.

Harry and Josh glanced at one another then looked back at Riddle. "What do you mean, i won't be - "

"I've been waiting a long time for this, Harry Potter," said Riddle. "For the chance to see you. To speak to you."

"Look, Riddle!" Josh said impatiently. "I don't think you're getting it. We are in the Chamber of Secrets. We need to get Ginny out of here!"

"Silence!" Riddle said as he waved his wand towards Josh who yelped as he was blasted back a few feet and landed with a thud.

"What the heck, Tom!" Harry shouted. "What's going on? Why did you blast Josh back? And Why is Ginny like this?"

"Well, those are interesting questions," Riddle said pleasantly, as Josh groaned as he stood up then looked to his right to see his wand a few feet away. "And quite a long story. I suppose Ginny Weasley's like this because she opened her heart and spilled her secrets to an invisible stranger."

"What are you talking about?" Harry said as Josh began to crawl to his wand very slowly and discreetly.

"The diary," Riddle said. "My diary. Little Ginny's been writing in it for months and months, telling me all her pitiful worries and woes - how her brothers tease her, how she had to come to school with secondhand robes, how" -Riddle's eyes glinted- "how she didn't think the famous, good, great Harry Potter would ever like her..."

Josh looked over to make sure Riddle wasn't watching him. He wasn't. Riddle's eyes were glued on Harry, and there seemed to be an almost hungry look in them. Josh quickly grabbed his wand and then watched Riddle and Harry.

"It's all very boring, having to listen to the silly little troubles of an eleven year old girl," Riddle went on. "But i was patient. I wrote back. I was sympathetic, I was kind, Ginny simply loved me. 'No one's ever understood me like you, Tom...I'm so glad I've got this diary to confide in...It's like having a friend I can carry around in my pocket'..." Riddle laughed, a high, cold laugh that didn't seem to suit him. It mad the hairs stand up on the back of Josh's neck. He saw Harry watching cautiously.

"If I say it myself, Harry, i've always been able to charm the people i needed. So Ginny poured out her soul to me, and her soul happened to be exactly what i wanted...I grew stronger and stonger on the diet of her deeper fears, her darkest secrets. I grew powerful, far more powerful than little Miss Weasley. Powerful enough to start feeding Miss Weasley a few of my secrets, to start pouring a little of my soul into her..."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked with a gulp. Josh kept his eyes on Riddle, waiting for the right moment.

"Haven't you guessed yet, Harry Potter?" Riddle said softly. "Ginny Weasley opened the Chamber of Secrets. She strangled the school roosters and daubed threatening messages on the walls. She set the serpent on the four mudbloods, a half- blood, and the Squib's cat." Josh saw Riddle glance at him while he stared back.

"No," Harry whispered, Riddle's eyes back on him.

"Yes," Riddle said calmly. "Of course she didn't know what she was doing at first. It was very amusing. I wish you could see her new diary entries...far more interesting, they became...It wasn't long until she believed she was the attacker."

Harry's fists were clenched while Josh gripped his wand tighter.

"It took a very long time for stupid little Ginny to stop trusting her diary," Riddle said. "But she finally became suspicious and tried to dispose of it. And that's where you came in, Harry. You found it, and I couldn't have been more delighted. Out of all the poeple who could have picked it up, it was you, the very person i was most anxious to meet."

"And why did you want to meet me?" Harry said, anger coursing through him.

"Well, you see, Ginny told me all about you, Harry," Riddle said. "Your whole fascinating History." His eyes roved over the lightning scar on Harry's forehead, and their expression grew hungrier. "I knew i must find out more about you, talk to you, meet you if i could. So i decided to show you my famous capture of the great oaf, Hagrid, to gain your trust - "

"Hagrid's my friend," Harry said, his voice a little shaky. "And you framed him, didn't you? I thought you made a mistake, but - "

Riddle laughed his high laugh again. "It was my word against Hagrid's, Harry. Well, you can imagine how it looked to old Armando Dippet. On one hand, Tom Riddle, poor but brilliant, parentless, yet so brave, school prefect, model student...on the other hand, big, blundering Hagrid, in trouble every other week, trying to raise werewolf cubs under his bed, sneaking off to the forbidden forest to wrestle trolls...but I was surprised how well the plan worked. I thought someone must realize that Hagrid couldn't possibly be the Heir of Slytherin. It had taken me five whole years to find out everything i could about the Chamber of Secrets and discover the secret entrance...as though Hagrid had the brains, or the power!

"Only the Transfiguration teacher, Dumbledore, seemed to think Hagrid was innocent. He persuaded Dippet to keep Hagrid on as gamekeeper. Yes, I think Dumbledore might have guessed...Dumbledore never seemed to like me as much as the other teachers did..."

"Ha!" Josh laughed as he stood up. "And Dumbledore saw right through you," he said through gritted teeth. Riddle lazily waved his wand, throwing Josh back again who landed with another thud.

"Josh!" Harry shouted, then turned back to Riddle who continued to speak. Josh stared at the ceiling, grimacing as his back was in pain.

"Well, he certainly kept a close eye on me after Hagrid was expelled," he said carelessly. "I knew it wouldn't be safe to open the Chamber of Secrets again while I was still at school. But I wasn't going to waste those long years i'd spent searching for it. I decided to leave behind a diary, preserving my sixteen year old self in it's pages, so that one day, with luck, I would be able to lead another in my footsteps, and finish Salaza Slytherin's noble work!"

"Well, you haven't finished it!" Harry declared triumphantly. Josh groaned softly and sat up, wand still in hand. "No one's died this time, not even the cat. In a few hours the mandrake draught will be ready, and everyone who was petrified will be alright again - "

"Haven't I already told you," Riddle said quietly. "That killing mudbloods doesn't matter to me anymore? For many months now, my new target has been - you!" He said looking at Harry then pointed his wand at Josh. "And You!" Josh stared back with raised eyebrows, not understanding why he was a target.

"Imagine how angry I was when Ginny was writing back again," Riddle said. "Panicking about how you had the diary, thinking I told you everything. And she told me everything. How you were both able to speak parseltongue, and how they thought one or the other was Slytherin's Heir. So, Ginny wrote her own farewell on the wall and came down here and to wait. She struggled and cried and became very boring. But there isn't much life left in her...She put too much into the diary, into me. Enough to let me leave the pages at last...I have been waiting fo you to appear since we arrived here. I knew you'd come. I have many questions for you two."

"Like what?" Harry asked as Josh stood up finally and moved next to Harry.

"Well," Riddle said, smiling pleasantly. "How is it that you - a mere boy - managed to defeat the greastest wizard of all time? How did you escape with nothing but a scar, while Lord Voldemort's powers were destroyed?" There was an odd red gleam in his hungry eyes now.

"Why do you care how i escaped?" Harry asked slowly. "Voldemort was after your time..."

"Voldemort," Riddle said softly. "is my past, present, and future, Harry Potter..."

Riddle lifted Harry's wand and began to trace it through the air, writing three shimmering words:

TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE

Then he waved the wand once, and the letters of his name rearranged themselves:

I AM LORD VOLDEMORT

"You see?" Riddle whispered. "It was a name I was already using it at Hogwarts, to my most intimatie friends only, of course. You think i was going to keep my filthy muggle father's name forever? I, in whose veins runs the blood of Salazar Slytherin himself, through my mother's side? I, keep the name of a foul, common Muggle, who abandoned me before i was born, just because he found out his wife was a witch? No, Harry - I fashioned myself a new name, a name I knew wizards everywhere would one day fear to speak, when i had become the greatest sorcerer in the world!"

"No!" Harry shouted. "Albus Dumbledore is the greatest sorcerer in the world!"

"Dumbledore's been driven out of this castle by the mere memory of me!" Riddle hissed.

"He's not gone!" Harry shouted. "Not as long as those who remain loyal to him!"

Riddle opened his mouth, but froze.

Music was coming from somewhere. Riddle whirled around to stare down the empty chamber. The music was growing louder. It was eerie, spine-tingling, unearthly; it lifted the hair on Josh's neck and made his heart feel as though it was swelling to twice its normal size. Then, as the music reached such a pitch that Josh felt the vibrating inside his own ribs, flames erupted at the top of the nearest pillar.

A crimson bird the size of a swan had appeared, piping its weird music to the vaulted ceiling. It had a glittering tail as long as a peacock's and gleaming golden talons, which were gripping a ragged bundle.

The bird flew towards Harry and Josh, dropping the ragged thing it was carrying at Harry's feet, then landed heavily on Harry's shoulder.

"A phoenix..." Riddle said, staring shrewdly at it.

"Fawkes?" Josh and Harry said in unison.

"And that - " said Riddle, now eyeing the ragged thing that Fawkes had dropped. "That's the old school sorting hat - "

So it was. Patched, frayed, and dirty, the hat lay motionless at Harry's feet.

Riddle began to laugh again. "This is what Dumbledore sends his defender! A songbird and an old hat! Do you feel brave, Harry Potter and friend? Do you feel safe now?"

Harry or Josh didn't answer. They might not see what use Fawkes or the Hat were, but they were no longer alone, and then waited for Riddle to stop laughing with their courage mountaing.

"To business, Harry and friend," Riddle said, smiling broadly. "Twice - in your past, in my future - have we met. And twice I failed to kill you, how did you survive? Now, Harry, I'm going to teach you a little lesson. Let's match the powers of Lord Voldemort, Heir of Slytherin, against the Famous Harry Potter, his little sidekick, and the best weapons Dumbledore can give him..."

Riddle cast an amused look over the Hat and Fawkes, then walked away. Harry and Josh glancing at one another, fear spreading through them, as they watched Riddle stop between the high pillars and look up into the stone face of Slytherin, high above him in the darkness. Riddle opened his mouth wide and hissed - but Josh and Harry inderstood what he was saying...

_'Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts four.'_

Harry and Josh wheeled around to look up at the statue. Slytherin's gigantic face was moving His mouth was opening wider and wider, and made a huge black hole. And something was stirring inside the statue's mouth. Something slithering up from it's depths.

Harry and Josh backed up a few steps, and Fawkes flew off. "Don't leave!" Harry shouted after the phoenix.

Something huge hit the stone floor of the Chamber. Josh felt it shudder - he knew what was happening, he could sense it, could almost see the giant serpent uncoiling itself from Slytherin's mouth. Then he heard Riddle's hissing voice.

_'Kill them.'_

The basilisk was moving towards the Gryffindors; they could hear its heavy slithering across the dusty floor. Harry and Josh turned and ran, both going seprate ways, but the Basilisk followed Harry. Josh turned to see the retreating form of the snake. If he did it once, he could do it again.

_'Stop! Leave him alone!'_ Josh shouted in parseltongue, and the Snake stopped as Harry tripped to the ground. Riddle stopped in his tracks to see Josh had just controlled the snake.

_"Don't pay attention to him'_ Riddle shouted. _'Kill Harry Potter!"_

"_No_!" Josh shouted.

"Silence!" Riddle shouted blasting Josh to the ground then turned to the snake. _'Kill Harry Potter!_' And the Snake continued to stalk Harry. Riddle walked over to Josh and stood over him. "Interesting," he said as Josh stared back up at Riddle, couragously. "Interesting how you can also control the snake. Very curious. You must have Slytherin blood in you."

"No!" Josh growled. "I'm a Gryffindor!" Josh lifted his wand, but Riddle kicked it away.

"Very curious indeed," Riddle said, then lifted his wand. "_Crucio_!"

Josh let out a scream. It was nothing he ever felt before, painwise. His whole body felt as if it was being pierced by thousands of white hot knives. Josh didn't think he could bear it anymore when the curse was finally lifted and Riddle was screaming.

"NO! LEAVE THE BIRD! LEAVE THE BIRD! THE BOY IS BEHIND YOU! YOU CAN STILL SMELL HIM! KILL HIM!"

Josh opened his eyes, breathing heavily, and saw the blurry for of Riddle, his body still in some pain, but not as bad. Riddle was busy looking at Harry and his snake. Josh turned his head and saw his wand, and with the strength he had left, he crawled and reached for his wand. Josh was so close to his wand when...

"_Crucio_!" Josh screamed in pain as he felt the curse once more and then it was lifted.

"LEAVE THE BIRD! THE BOY IS BEHIND YOU! SMELL HIM! KILL HIM!"

Josh looked around, seeing the blurred form of a snake, and Harry who happened to be swinging something, as if he was holding a sword? And then he heard a slashing and stabbing noise, and then the noise of Harry yelping in pain. Josh watched through his blurred vision; Harry was gripping his arm and then pulled out something that had pierced it, and walked over to Ginny, Josh, Riddle, and the diary. Harry dropped to his knees in front of the Diary. Josh saw the blurred form of Riddle walk away towards Harry. Josh used what was left of his strength to sit up.

"So ends the famous Harry Potter," Josh heard Riddle say. "Alone in the Chamber, forsaken by his friends, defeated my the memory of the Dark Lord he so unwisely challenged. You'll be back with your dear mudblood mother soon, Harry...And don't worry, your sidekick and little girlfriend will be joinig you soon...you had twelve years of borrowed time...but Lord Voldemort got you in the end, as you knew he must..."

Josh looked over to see that Fawkes was leaning over Harry, doing something. Josh smiled as he knew what the bird was doing.

"Get away bird," Riddle's voice said suddenly. "Get away from him - I said, get away - "

Josh watched as Harry raised his head. Riddle was pointing Harry's wand at Fawkes, and there was a bang, and Fawkes took flight. He turned to hear the sound of Josh laughing.

"What are you laughing at!" He shouted at Josh.

"Phoenix tears," Josh breathed out weakly. "They have...healing powers."

Riddle shook his head. 'It makes no difference. In fact, I prefer it this way. Just Harry and me," he said then looked at Harry. "Just you and me..." Then raised Harry's wand, but before anything happened, Fawkes swopped in and dropped the diary in front of Harry who stared at it.

Josh's watched in blurred vision as Harry then stabbed the diary with the basilisk fang that was on the floor next to him, straight into the heart of the book.

There was a long, dreadful, piercing scream. Ink spurted out of the diart in torrents, streaming over Harry's hand, flooding the floor. Riddle was writhing and twisting, screaming and flailing and then -

He was gone. Harry's wand fell to the floor with a clatter and there was silence. Silence except for the steady drip drip of ink still oozing from the diary. The basilisk venom had burned a sizzling hole right though it.

Josh watched as Harry stood slowly, gathering his wand, the sorting hat, and a silver sword and walked over to kneel next to Josh who was shaking very badly.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked.

Josh shrugged. "I guess," he answered weakly. "I don't know what kind of curse he hit me with, but it was horrible. I don't know if I can walk." Josh said. "Where did you get that sword?"

"I pulled it out of the Sorting Hat," Harry answered showing Josh the sword.

"Strange," Josh breathed out. Harry nodded. Then came a faint moan from a few feet away. The two boys looked to see that Ginny was stirring. Harry sat up and hurried over to her, as she sat up. Her bemused eyes traveled from the huge form of the dead basilisk, over Harry, in his blood soaked robes, to the diary in his hand, and to Josh who was shaking as if he was freezing. She drew a great, shuddering gasp, and tears began to pour down her face.

"Harry - oh, Harry - I treid to tell you at b-breakfast, but I c-couldn't say it in front of Percy - it was me, Harry - but I - I - s-wear i d-didn't mean to - Riddle made me, he t-took me over - and - how did you kill that - that thing? W-where's Riddle? The last thing I remember is him coming out of the diary - "

"It's all right," Harry said, holding up the diary, and showing Ginny the fang hole. "Riddle's finished, Look! Him and the basilisk. C'mon Ginny. Let's help Josh up and Get out of here - "

"I'm going to be expelled!" Ginny wept as he helped her awkwardly to her feet. "I've looked forwards to coming to Hogwarts ever since B-Bill came and n-now I'll have to leave and - w-what'll mum and dad say?"

Josh pocketed his wand as Ginny and Harry helped him to his feet and grabbed the sword and the sorting hat and the three made their way out of the Chamber with Fawkes hovering and flying above them. After a few minutes' progress up in the dark tunnel, a distant sound of slowly shifting rock reached Josh's ears.

"Ron!" Harry yelled, as the three sped up. "Ginny's okay! I've got her!"

Josh heard Ron give a strangle cheer, and the turned to the next bend to see his eager face staring through the sizable gap he had managed to maked in the rock fall. "What aboou Josh? Is he there and alive?" he asked.

"I'm here!" Josh shouted.

"Shame!" Ron shouted jokingly with a smile, making Josh chuckle.

"Ginny!" Ron thrust an arm through the gap in the rock to pull her through first. "You're alive! I don't believe it! What happened? How - what - where did that bird come from?"

Fawkes had swooped through the gap after Ginny. Harry helped Josh through the gap who winced in pain as he pulled through.

"He's Dumbledore's," Harry answered as he squeezed through the gap himself.

"How come you've got a sword?" Ron asked, gaping at the glittering weapon in Harry's hand.

"I'll explain later, when we get out of here," Harry said with a sideways glance at Ginny was crying harder than ever.

"But - "

"Ron, please," Josh said, still in pain from the curse he had from Riddle. "I'm exhausted and in pain, and I need to get out of here."

"Yeah," Harry agreed. "Where's Lockhart?"

"Back there," Ron answered, jerking his head up the tunnel towards the pipe. "He's in a bad way. Come and see."

Led by Fawkes, They four Gryffindors walked all the way back to the mouth of the pipe, Gilderoy Lockhary was sitting there, humming placidly to himself.

"His memory's gone," Ron said. "The memory charm backfired. Hit him instead of us. Hasn't got a clue who he is, or where he is, or who we are. I told him to come and wait here. He's a danger to himself."

Lockhart peered good-naturely up at them all. "Hello," he said. "Odd sort of place, this, isn't it? Do you live here?"

"Yeah, me and my giant pet snake live here," Josh answered sarcastically, resting on Ron as he raised his eyebrows at Harry.

Harry bent down and looked up the long, dark pip. "Have you thought how we're going to get back up this?" he asked Ron.

Ron shook his head, but Fawkes had swooped bast Harry and was now fluttering before him, his beady eyes bright in the dark, waving his golden tail feathers. Harry looked at him uncertainly.

"He looks like he wants you to grab hold..." Ron said, looking perplexed. "But you're much too heavy fro a bird to pull up there - "

"Fawkes," Josh said. "Isn't ordinary, Ron. He can carry up to alot of weight."

"Okay," Harry said and then turned to the others. "We've got to hold on to each other. I'll grab Josh's hand, Josh will grab Ron's hand, Ron grab Ginny's hand. And Lockhart will grab Ginny's other hand."

Harry tucked the sword and the sorting hat into his belt, and Josh grabbed a hold of the back of his robes, and Harry reached out and took ahold of Fawkes' strangley hot tail feathers.

An extraordinary lightness seemed to spread throuhg the whole body and the next second, in a rush of wongs, they were flying upward through the pip. Josh could hear Lockhart dangling below him saying, "Amazing! Amazing! This is just like magic!" The chill air was whipping through Josh's hair, and before he'd stopped enjoying the cool hair and the ride, it was over - all five of them were hitting the wet floor of Myrtle's bathroom, and as Lockhart straightened his hat, the sinks that hid the pipe all slid into place, closing.

Myrtle goggled at them. "You're alive," she said blankly at Harry.

"There's no need to sound so disappointed," he said grimly, wiping flecks of blood and slime of his glasses.

"Can we go now," Josh said wincing in pain.

"Where to?" Ron asked as Ginny cried and Ron gave her an anxious look. Harry pointed.

Fawkes was leading the way, glowing gold along the corridor. They all strode after her him, amd moments later, they found themselves outside Professor McGonagall's office.

Harry knocked and pushed the door open.


	10. True Heir of Slytherin

Chapter 10: True Heir of Slytherin

For a moment, there was silence since as Harry, Josh, Ron, Ginny, and Lockhart stood in the doorway covered in muck and slime. Then there was a scream.

"Ginny!" It was Mrs. Weasley, who had been sitting crying in front of the fire. She leapt to her feet, closely followed by Mr. Weasley, and both of them flung themselves on their daughter.

Josh looked past them. Professor Dumbledore was standing by the mantelpiece, beaming, next to Professor McGonagall, who was taking great, steadying gasps, clutching her chest. Fawkes had swooped past Harry and Josh and settled on Dumbledore's shoulder. Mrs. Weasley swept in and hugged Harry and Ron.

"You saved her! You saved her! How did you do it?" And then she hugged Josh tightly who yelped softly in pain.

"I think we'd all like to know that," said Professor McGonagall weakly. Josh was released from Mrs. Weasley's grasp, and watched as Harry walked up to the desk and placed the Sorting Hat, the ruby encrusted sword, and what was left of Riddle's diary. Josh winced as he sat in one of the chairs.

Then Harry, Ron, and Josh started telling them everything. For nearly a quarter of an hour they spoke into the rapt silence. They told them about hearing the disembodied voices in the walls, how they finally realized that Harry and Josh was hearing a basilisk in the pipes; how they had followed the spiders in the forest, that Aragog had told them where the last victim of the basilisk died; how they guessed that Moaning Myrtle had been the victim, and that the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets might be in her bathroom...

"Very well," Professor McGonagall prompted as the three boys paused, "so you found out where the entrance was - breaking a hundred school rules into pieces along the way, I might add - but how on earth did you get out of there alive, Potter?"

So Harry continued to tell them about Fawkes's timely arrival and about the Sorting Hat giving him the sword. But then he faltered. Josh noticed that Harry had so far avoided mentioning Riddle's diary - or Ginny. She was standing with her head against Mrs. Weasley's shoulder, and tears were still coursing silently down her cheeks.

"What interests me most," Dumbledore said gently. "is how Lord Voldemort managed to enchant Ginny, when my sources tell me he is currently hiding in Albania." Josh saw Harry let out a sigh.

"W-what's that?" said Mrs. Weasley in as stunned voice. "You-Know-Who? En-enchant Ginny? But Ginny's not...Ginny hasn't been...has she?"

"It was his diary," Harry spoke quickly, picking it up and showing it to Dumbledore. "Riddle wrote it when he was sixteen..." Dumbledore took the diary from Harry and peered keenly down his long, cooked nose at its burnt and soggy pages.

"Brilliant," he said softly. "Of course, he was probably the most brilliant student Hogwarts has ever seen." He turned arounf to the Weasleys, who were looking utterly bewildered. "Very few people know that Lord Voldemort was once called Tom Riddle. I taught him myself, fifty years ago, at Hogwarts. He disappeared after leaving the school...traveled far and wide...sank deeply into the Dark Arts, constorted with they very worst of our kind, underwent so many dangerous, magical transformations, that when he resurfaced as Lord Voldemort, he was barely recognized. Hardly anyone connected Lord Voldemort with the clever, handsome boy who was once Head Boy here."

"But, Ginny," said Mrs. Weasley. "What's our Ginny got to do with - with - him?" Josh looked at Ginny was crying and too scared to speak. He then looked at Harry who was didn't want to speak either.

"It was because of his diary," Josh spoke up for Ginny. "She wrote in it, and he wrote back..."

"Ginny!" Mr. Weasley said flabbergasted. "Haven't I taught you anything? What have I always told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain? Why didn't you show the diary to me, or to your mother? A suspicious object like that, it was clearly full of Dark Magic -"

"I d-didn't know," Ginny sobbed. "I found it inside one of the books Mum got me. I th-thought someone had just left it in there and forgotten about it -" Josh and Harry shared a glance.

"Miss Weasley should go up to the Hospital Wing right away," Dumbledore interuppted in a firm voice. "This has been a terrible ordeal for her. There will be no punishment. Older and wiser wizards than she have been hoodwinked by Lord Voldemort." He strode over to the door and opened it. "Bed rest and perhaps a large, streaming mug of hot chocolate. I always find that cheers me up," he added, twinkling kindly down at her. "You'll find that Madam Pomfrey is still awake. She's just giving out Mandrake juice - I daresay the basilisk's victims will be waking up at any moment."

"So Hermione's okay!" Ron said brightly. Josh and Harry smiled.

"There has been no lasting harm done, Ginny," said Dumbledore. Mrs. Weasley led Ginny out, and Mr. Weasley followed, still looking deeply shaken. "You know, Minerva," Professor Dumbledore said thoughtfully to McGonagall. "I think this all merits a good feast. Might I ask you to go and alert the kitchens?"

"Right," said Professor McGonagall crisply, also moving to the door. "I'll leave to deal with Potter, Weasley, and Anderson, shall I?"

"Certainly," said Dumbledore. She left, and the three boys gazed at Dumbledore, uncertainly, fearing they were about to be punished.

"I seem to remember telling a couple of you that I would have to expel you if you broke any more school rules," Dumbledore said. Josh looked at Harry and Ron. Harry had his head bowed while Ron had his mouth open in horror. "Which goes to show that the best of us must sometimes eat our words," Dumbledore went on, smiling. "All of you will receive Special Awards for Services to the School and - let me see - yes, I think two hundred points a piece for Gryffindor." The three boys smiled and looked at one another. "But one of us seems to be keeping mightily quiet about his part in this dangerous adventure," Dumbledore added. "Why so modest, Gilderoy?"

Josh gave a start and looked behind him to see Lockhart. He had completely forgot about Lockhart. The non amnesiac Defense Professor was standing in the corner of the room, still wearing his vague smile. Whe Dumbledore adressed him, Lockhart looked over his shoulder to see who he was talking to.

"Professor," Ron said quickly. "There was an accident down in the Chamber. Professor Lockhart -"

"Am i a professor?" said Lockhart in a mild surprise. "Goodness. I expect I was hopeless, was I?"

"Yes," Josh mumbled with a smile which went away when he saw Dumbledore glanced at him with a raised eyebrow.

"He tried to do a memory charm and the wand backfired," Ron explained quietly to Dumbledore.

"Tried to erase our minds, he did," Josh added.

"Dear me," said Dumbledore, shaking his head, his long silver mustache quivering. "Impaled upon your own sword, Gilderoy."

"Sword?" Lockhart said, dimly. "Haven't got a sword. That boy has, though." He pointed at Harry. "He'll lend you one."

"Would you mind taking Professor Lockhart up to the infirmary, too?" Dumbledore said to Ron.

Lockhart ambled out. Ron cast a curious look back at Dumbldore, Harry, and Josh as he closed the door. Dumbledore crossed to one of the chairs by the fire across from Josh.

"Sit down, Harry," he said, and Harry sat in one of the chairs next to Josh. "First of all, boys, I want to thank you," said Dumbledore, eyes twinkling again. "You both must have shown me real loyalty down in the Chamber. Nothing but that could have called Fawkes to you." He stroked Fawkes, who had fluttered down onto his knee. Harry and Josh shared a look and gave small smiles at Fawkes. "And so you met Tom Riddle," Dumbledore said thoughtfully. "I imagine he was most interested in both of you..."

"Professor...Riddle said that I'm like him. Strange likenesses, he said..." Harry spoke.

"Did he, now?" said Dumbledore, looking thoughtfully at Harry from under his thick silver eyebrows. "And what do you think, Harry?" Josh looked at his friend as he answered.

"I don't think I'm like him!" said Harry, more loudly than Josh expected. "I mean, I'm - I'm in Gryffindor, I'm...Professor, the Sorting Hat told me I'd - I'd have done well in Slytherin. Everyone thought I was Slytherin's Heir for a while...because I can speak Parseltongue..."

"You can speak Parseltongue, Harry," said Dumbledore calmly, "because Lord Voldemort - who is the ancestor of Salazar Slytherin - can speak Parseltongue. Unless I'm much mistaken, he transferred some of his own powers to you the night he gave you that scar. Not something he intended to do, I'm sure..."

Josh looked into the fire, tuning out Harry and Dumbldore. That doesn't explain how Josh knows Parseltongue. Voldemort couldn't have destoryed himself twice to two babies? No, that made no sense what so ever. And it seemed stupid and ridiculous, but then he thought about what Riddle had told him. 'You must have some Slyterhin in you.' Riddle had told him. Did that mean that Josh had some Slytherin blood in him? And if he did, then wouldn't he be in Slytherin like Riddle? They were both half bloods, so it should make some sense. But why was he put into Gryffindor then. He was brave and had the heart of a lion, but he was also very ambitious and cunning like a Slytherin. But he was so much different than Tom Riddle and other Slytherins. He had a good heart, and he would be always do the right thing even if it meant if he had to break a few rules, or a hundred. But it could be possible, Most of his family had been in Slytherin as far as he could remember except for his cousin that went to Durmstrang. And his Grandfather did tell him that he was the first Emrys to be a Gryffindor in a long, long time. But could it be true that he was a relative of Slytherin? He could control the Basilisk and legend did say only Slytherin's Heir was the only one to control it.

Josh looked up from the fire to see Harry looking at the sword. "Only a true Gryffindor could have pulled that out of the hat, Harry," Dumbledore said simply. "Now, what you two need, is some food and sleep, I suggest you go down to the feast, while I write to Azkaban - we need out gamekeeper back. I must draft an advertisement for the Daily Prophet, too," he added thoughtfully. "We'll be needing a new Defense teacher...Dear me, we do seem to run through them, don't we?"

Harry and Josh stood up and walked towards the door, but Josh stopped. Harry turned and looked at him questioningly. "Go on," Josh said to him. "I'll catch up." Harry nodded and left the office, while Josh turned back to Dumbledore who was at McGonagall's desk writing a couple of letters.

"Um, Professor?" Josh called.

"Yes, you want to know why you speak Parseltongue too, am I right?" Dumbledore asked as he looked back at Josh with twinkling eyes.

"Yes, sir," Josh said. "It can't be the same as why Harry does, but then why?"

"Well, Joshua,'' Dumbledore started as he stood up. "When i was gone, i decided to visit an old friend. Your grandfather, Malcom Emrys. And we both decided to check yours and his family tree."

"What did you find out?" Josh asked as he felt he knew the answer.

"You are very much related to Slytherin," Dumbledore answered, and Josh's face fell. "But it's nothing to be sad about."

"It is when you find out you're related to Voldemort himself," Josh murmured angrily.

"Related? Yes, but family? No," Dumbledore said. "Let's see here. Slythering had two sons. The oldest, Septimius, followed Slytherin's purity ideas, while the youngest, Sertorius, followed Gryffindor's ideas, and even married a muggleborn witch, shunning him from his blood family. And from Slytherin's youngest line, his children, and their children and so on, married whoever they liked and eventually went to half-bloods mostly, then back to back to pure when your great-great-grandfather Magnus Emrys married you're great-great-grandmother, who was half blood and related to Slytherin's youngest son."

Josh nodded. "But, parseltongue? How can i speak it and my family can't?" he asked.

"It seems that after Sertorius and his children and their children's children, and so on, they mostly married muggleborns, and that the Parseltongue trait only became a gene that was carried and became very dormant, but it seems that for some unknown and myterious reason, that the trait finally awoken in you."

"But why me?" Josh asked. "Why after all this time that the Parseltongue suddenly awakes in me and in no one else?

"Yes, Joshua, that is the question, isn't it?" Dumbledore said. Josh nodded and there was a few moments of silence. "You are a very good wizard, Joshua, with qaulities of both Gryffindor and Slytherin. It seems that you would be very much like Sertorius himself as he was a great wizard, too."

"But, what if i'm become like Tom Riddle?" Josh asked with his head bowed.

"Do you believe that you will?" Dumbledore asked. Josh looked up at the headmaster and shook his head. He was nothing like Tom. "Good. It is our choices Joshua, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." Josh nodded and turned to leave, but stopped when Dumbledore spoke again. "And I do believe, like Harry, you are meant to do great things, like the true Heir of Slytherin was meant to do."

Josh smiled. He liked the sound of that; True Heir of Slytherin. His new nickname, like Harry's; the Boy-Who-Lived, but cooler.

"Oh, and I think you should go to the Hospital Wing," Dumbledore said. Josh looked at the headmaster. He had forgotten he was hurting and sore all over. "You're a little pale, and shaking, and wince everytime you make a big move, so by my guess, you've been hit by the Cruciatus Curse."

"The what?" Josh asked.

"Oh, you'll learn it sooner or later, but I advise you to get to the Hospital Wing for your pain."

Josh nodded and left the office, wincing in some pain. He was near the Hospital Doors when he heard his name called.

"Josh!"

Josh turned and saw Daphne run up to him. "Yeah?"

Daphne stopped in front of him, then looked at his grimy self. "What in the world happened to you?" she asked. "Where have you been? I overheard Ron talking about how him, you, and Harry went into the Chamber of Secrets and saved Ginny Weasley."

"You heard right," Josh replied then began to walk towards the Hospital doors.

"Are you okay?" Daphne asked in a worried voice.

"Yeah, fine an...ah!" Josh yelped as Daphne jumped on him and hugged him tight. "Daphne, can you let go? I'm in a lot of pain."

Daphne let go quickly and looked at Josh with more worry in her eyes. "I'm sorry! What happened to you?" she asked him.

"Dumbledore said i was hit the what was called a Cruciatus Curse," Josh answered as he opened the doors and entered the Hospital Wing with Daphne following and gave a gasp when she heard his last two words.

"Are you serious?" Daphne asked, hand on her heart.

"Yeah, you know it?" Josh asked as he felt like he was getting tired, exhaustion catching up to him.

"Yeah, it's a torture curse, an unforgivible curse," Daphne asnwered. "One of the curses that was mostly used in the first war with Voldemort."

Josh nodded and continued to looked for Madam Pomfrey. He noticed the petrified were gone, and that Lockhart was in the bed reading one of his own books, and Ginny and her parents in one of the beds talking quietly. He found the nurse, and she gave him some pain dulling potion, pepper up potion, and strengthening potion to take.

After the healing, Josh and Daphne went to the feast. The two entered while everyone was eating and chatting to their friends, and then went their seperate ways. He sat in between Neville and Hermione, and across from Ron, and was happy to see Hermione and the others back to normal. Josh asked where Harry was and learned that he went back to go to talk Dumbledore again, but Ron didn't know why.

This feast was one Josh has never been to before. Mostly everyone was in their pajamas, except the petrified students, and Josh and Ron. Harry entered 15 minutes later with a big smile on his face. When asked, he told them that He had freed Dobby which turned out to be a good thing, and now had an elf who became his friend for life.

Everything was going fantastic, and it had gotten better when Hagrid appeared half past three, and hugged the three Gryffindor heroes. Harry's, Josh's, and Ron's points for Gryffindor, caused the house to win the House Cup second year in a row. Josh didn't think it couldn't get any better when Dumbldore announced that the exams have been canceled as a school treat and that Lockhart was not going to be joining next year, and even a few teachers cheered for that one.

"Shame," Ron said to his friends. "He was beginning to grow on me." Josh and Harry laughed out loud as this turned out to be a great early morning.

The rest of the final term passed in a haze of blazing sunshine. Hogwarts was back to normal with only a few, small differences - Defense classes were canceled and Ron seemed to think that him, Harry, and Josh had enough practice anyways. And for more better news, Lucius Malfoy had been sacked as a school governor, and Draco was no longer strutting around the school as if he owned the place. One the contrary, he looked resentful and sulky. On the other hand, Ginny Weasley was perfectly happy again.

Too soon, it was time for the journey home on the Hogwarts Express. Harry, Josh, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, and Ginny got a compartment to themselves. They made the most of the last few hours in which they were allowed to do magic for the holidays. They played exploding snap, set off the very last of Fred and George's Filibuster Fireworks, and practiced disarming each other by magic, Harry and Josh were getting very good at it, and even hitting each other at the same time and catching each other's wands at the same time.

They were almost at King's crossed stationed when Harry and the rest all found out from Ginny about how Percy had a girlfriend. It was Penelope Clearwater, one of the petrified victims.

The Hogwarts Express slowed and finally stopped.

Harry pulled out a quill and a bit of parchment and turned to his three best friends, Ron, Hermione, and Josh.

"This is called a telephone number," Harry told Ron, scribbling it three times, tearing it into three pieces, and handing it to them. "I told your dad how to use a telephone last summer - he'll know. Call me at the Dursleys', okay? I can't stand another two months with only Dudley to talk to..."

"Your Aunt and Uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" Hermione said as they got off the train and joined the crowd thronging towards the enchanted barrier. "When they hear what you did this year?"

"Proud?" said Harry. "Are you crazy? All those time I could've died, and I didn't manage it? The'll be furious..."

"Harry?" Josh called. Harry turned to him. Josh handed him his number and address. "In case you want to come to visit, or get a chance to call."

"Cool, thanks," Harry said and took the parchment. And they all walked back through the barrier together into the Muggle world.

Josh turned to Ron and they stared at one another for a few moments, and then they shook hands.

"Still not friends," Josh said with a hint of a smile.

"Of course," Ron replied with the same expressiong. "Well, seeya." Ron said and then left. Josh said goodbye to Harry and Hermione and began looking for his mom when he felt a hug on his shoulder. He turned to see Neville. "Neville!"

"Josh," Neville replied. "Seeya next year, yeah?"

"Of course, Neville," Josh replied and Neville then waved goodbye and left. Josh then continued to look for his mother when he felt someone hug him from behind. "Daphne." he said simply.

"How did you know?" Daphne said as she walked to Josh's front.

"Same way i can tell the Weasley's apart," Josh answered simply with a smile. "So, this year has been really crazy."

"Oh yeah," Daphne replied with a smile. "i'll miss you."

"Yeah, I'll miss you too," Josh replied and the two hugged again, but this time, Daphne kissed his cheek, and both blushed when they split. "Yes, well..."

"I have to go," Daphne said. "Write me?"

"Of course," Josh said. "Bye."

"Bye!" Daphne said and ran off. Josh turned back to look for his mother, but didn't find her. Instead, he found his Grandfather, standing with his greying hair, green eyes, very tall, over 6 feet, strong complexion and wearing a black business suit. Josh walked over with a big smile on his face.

"If it isn't the True Slytherin Heir!" Malcom spoked as Josh reached him and hugged him.

"Granpa," Josh greeted then released him. "Where's mum?"

"She thought it would be a great surprise for me to get you," Malcom said with a smile.

"It was," Josh replied, and the two began walking off.

"Heard you had a great and adventurous year,' Malcom said.

"You have no idea," Josh replied and took a glance at the barrier. "Hopefully next year is just as great!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN The End. There, short chapter, but it's over. Now this is the start of Josh's destiny, and it all has to do with a few things like why he's the only parseltongue in his family, and then why he's in Gryffindor, and another thing that will be a big part of his destiny is his own question of Will he be like Tom Riddle? That will be a big part in the last few chapters of Josh's life through the Harry Potter Books as he will have a battle within himself. You'll just have to wait and see.**


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